Skinny Love
by Hunter of Artemis101
Summary: Being anorexic is hard, Piper discovers. Especially when there's a blue eyed boy trying desperately to save you from something you don't want to be saved from. "Come on Skinny Love, just last the year..." Rated T for suicide and depression. Jasper/Jeyna. (COMPLETE)
1. PIPER

_** ~Come on skinny love, just last the year.  
Poor a little salt we were never hear.  
My, my, my, my, my.  
Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer~**_

Being an anorexic is hard, Piper Elizabeth Mclean discovers.

She leans over the sink once more, her messy, tangled brunette hair slightly coated in disgusting puke. Tears are streaming down her face, but not a single sound escapes her dry lips. She tries not to think about the monsters, but somehow they creep around the corners of her thoughts threatening to overpass the rest of the happy, warm, kind thoughts and memories. Her stomach clenches tightly, a coldness passing over her and Piper knows what's coming next. She feels nauseous and knows she will revolt any passing second. Then, after the nausea passes, she abruptly vomits.

She pukes and pukes and pukes.

She shouldn't have tried to eat breakfast.

_"You'll never be pretty," _the monsters state, humor edged in their tone of voices. _"You're worthless, ugly and fat. Fat! You'll never be skinny."_

She vomits again, sobs wracking at her body but she ignores the urge to cry. _"Keep on puking... keep on throwing everything up. It won't make a difference. All you'll ever be is fat and repulsing."_ Piper stifles a sob and pushes herself away from the sink. She's been here so many times. Her hand is trembling as she reaches up and turns on the faucet. The metal is cold as she turns it. Warm water sprays down on the puke, carry it with the water down the drain. Piper watches it go, her head titled partially down, oblivious to the smell.

Piper then grabs a bar of soap and begins to clean it, this time disgusted with the throw up. Normally, she uses the toilet, but this time the monsters had caught her by surprise.

_"Look in the mirror! Look in the mirror! Look in the mirror!"_ Piper blinks, not tearing her eyes away from the sink. If she does look up and see her reflection, the monsters will just taunt her more. She turns the handle and grabs a brush. She runs it through her tangled hair, and quickly ties it up in a pony tail. But she doesn't look in the mirror while doing it.

It's tempting to look, she admits to herself. But she shouldn't. She already had revolted once, and didn't want to again.

As she brushes her teeth, she turns off the shower. It presents a loud sound, so loud that no one in the house could hear her doing this.

She spits in the newly cleaned sink. No need for her father to know what's really going on.

Piper had been an anorexic since she turned thirteen. And surprisingly, Her dad never had knew, despite all the red alert signs she normally showed.

_** ~Tell my love to wreck it all, cut out all the ropes and let me fall. "  
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my...r  
right in the moment this orders tall~**_

Only one person knows.

Jason Grace.

The only person who gives a damn about her.

A fond memory echoes in her head, filling her with comfort and warmth. _"You have to stop this, Pipes. You have to eat, okay?" She winces at his commands, but all she does is nod silently. He stared at her carefully, his blue eyes seemed to be burning in the back of her soul._

Then she frowns. He had been the only one truly there for her. But he didn't love her the way she loved him. He was in love with Reyna, but maybe...

_"Spare us, Pipes. Jason would never love you." _They say, and she flinches at the words, but Piper knows it's the truth. _"You're too fat. Jason could never be seen in public with _you." The monsters say the last word like an insult, and she turns toward the door, but not before finally taking a quick glance at the mirror.

Piper prays that the monsters don't criticize her again.

A fat girl is there. She has brown, frizzy hair that never could be suited quite in the right way. Not at all like her friend Hazel's hair, for her hair is always in perfect, dark spirals.

Piper stares at her violet eyes. Her eyes are ugly, too. The pair make her look like an alien sometimes, considering their kelospise eyes and change color on a daily bases. Not at all like her friend Annabeth's intimidating grey ones.

Her body shape is all over the place. Her hips are too wide, breasts look misshapen as well.

And, well she's fat.

Her friend's disagree on that fact, along with her father when she had innocently asked them about it.

Piper knew they were lying.

Only the monsters told her the truth.

Slipping on her black converse, she finally walks out the door and into the hallway. There's many famous artists pictures hanging from the wall, along with statues and other art. A couple of pieces are from one of her friends Rachel Elizabeth Dare, daughter of a billionaire.

_"You may be rich, I'll give you that. But that doesn't change the fact that you're a slut. A fat slut." _She begins to hum a song under her breath, trying not to listen as the criticism starts. Just in time for the morning, she thinks sarcastically.

"Morning, Pipes." Her father Tristan kisses her forehead when she gets to the bottom of the expensive staircase.

_"You're names even ugly! Piper. Pipes. What a disagreeable name." _She rolls her eyes at the voices. Of course they would stoop as low to say that negative thing.

"Morning," Piper wants to hug him like she did when she was a child. Wrap her tiny arms around his waist, and allow herself to be carried. Allow herself to hide with her dad, and never face the torments of the world.

But, she was fifteen. Plus, she doubted he could even lift her because she was...fat.

Piper was five foot four, and a hundred pounds. Triple digits weren't good, even when everyone (even Jason) considered her to be underweight by- a lot. She wasn't sure she looked anorexic, even though Piper knew that she was. If she was truly as thin as some of the pictures of anorexic girls she had Googled online, she was sure her dad would notice.

Tristan coughs, and she averts her attention back over to him. "Breakfast is ready."

"Not hungry. Hazel, Leo and I had a feast last night." Tristan grins cheekily at her lie, and tugs on her pony tail.

It was so easy to lie.

"Good, good. I was worried my Pipes wasn't eating." Piper paled, her arms freezing from shock. How could he possibly suspect something when she covered up her tracks as well as she did?

Slowly, cautiously she tries desperately not to make a scene. "Why would you think that?"

"Well... Annabeth came over. Said you weren't eating." His eyes widened at her response.

"That's not true, right Piper? You are eating okay?"

Piper giggles lightly, though there's anger bubbling inside of her. Hot, sharp anger directed at Annabeth.

But she can't mess up on her facade.

She swings on his arm a bit, before stepping off the stairs gently. "Of course I am eating, daddy. It's probably just a misunderstanding- no biggie."

It was a biggie.

* * *

She arrives at school, taking her new cherry, red Ferrari.

She's dressed in pre-ripped blue jeans, a black barrette, and a mid-length t-shirt to cover up her chubby arms. As soon as she gets up, she's half running, half storming. She shoves her way through the crowds of people, blinking back hot, humiliated tears.

She thought that Annabeth was her friend. She thought that Annabeth was there for her, too. But, then she stabs Piper in the back by hinting to her father that she's anorexic.

_** ~And I told you to be patient, I told you to be kind.  
In the morning I'll be with you... but if will be a different kind.  
'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets and you'll be owning the fines~**_

She's going to kill Annabeth. Cut her into a million, tiny pieces and shove her in a blender. She's going to kill her! Whipping out her phone quickly, she texts Annabeth.

**To: Annie  
From: Piper**

**Annabeth, meet me on the steps? I have something important to tell you- Pipes**

Glancing up she sees Hazel waving hello to her, Hazel's mocha arm hooked around Leo's. Leo nodded in Piper's direction before laughing along with Hazel again. Piper smiles faintly, her anger fading but only a little bit. She had always thought that they'd make a good couple. But, Hazel was with Frank... she shakes her head dismissing the ridiculous thought. It was none of her business.

**INCOMING MESSAGE FROM: ANNIE **  
Her phone buzzes and she averts her attention down to the brightly lit white screen.

**From: Annie  
To: Piper**

**Sure, P. I have something to tell you too.**

"I bet you do," Piper hisses. She shoves her phone back into her book bag and continues dodging her way past Goode High School students.

She swings her backpack to the side, half sprinting up the steps anger fueling her quick paced movements. She passes Annabeth's boyfriend Percy Jackson (her friend) on the way up the steps to Goode.

Percy had reminded her of Jason. They were both so... different from the rest of the students here. Powerful, but in a good way. Attractive of course, and unpredictable. Like a hurricane or a lightning storm.

"Well, someone's in a hurry." He comments humorously, his sea green eyes watching her. Then, he notices the anger plastered on her face. He grabs the side of her shoulder gently, because she is so small and fragile. "Hey, what's wrong?"

In the corner of her eye, she sees Annabeth at the top of the steps waiting for her. Her heads tilted as she continues to look for Piper. Her honey blonde curls are down, which is something unusual for her.

Her grey eyes fall upon her and Piper stares up, glaring.

Annabeth's eyes are filled with concern and slight hints of regrets. Then Piper realizes that Annabeth knows that she knows.

Hot rage rushes through her. And she does something mean, something absolutely cruel. She's thinking on instinct and she grabs Percy's shirt collar and tugs him down so there almost the same height.

Then, she captures his lips on hers.

Piper doesn't love Percy, not like that at least. She loves Percy as a brother perhaps, or the way she loves her best friend Leo Valdez- but absolutely not like that.

But nothing matters except to see Annabeth Minerva Chase hurt.

She wraps her arms tightly around his neck, feeling his raven hair in her hands. His lips taste like the sea- salty and unpredictable. And she has to admit, he's a good kisser.

But he's not Jason.

He kisses her back, for maybe a second. Gently and cautiously, like he knows she's made of glass. Maybe Percy's only kissing her back to spare her feelings from getting hurt. She doesn't really know. He kisses her back for a moment, then gently tries to pull away from Piper. She clings to him for a few seconds longer, desperate to make this kiss last. Desperate to see Annabeth feel betrayal the way that she did this morning.

Then Percy shoves her away. Not roughly, but firmly, to show her that he means business. His jaw is set, and his eyes are narrowed. He's angry, but she sees in his green eyes that he's also confused and cautious.

"Why?" He asks in disbelief. I ignore his question and look at the top of Goode's steps.

Annabeth's gone.

He follows my gaze, then turns back to me. This time he's really, truly angry.

"Was Annabeth just there?"

"Percy, let me explain!" She's guilty now, wondering if Annabeth is somewhere crying her eyes out for the man that she loves. Piper's heart twists, an image of Jason kissing Annabeth forming in her head. How would she feel? She would feel heartbroken.

"Save it." He snarls, turning sharply away from her and running up the steps.

It hurts.

Most of the students were already in the building, but the ones that weren't didn't really give a shit about two teenagers kissing on the steps.

If only they knew.

But, there is a person who had watched the entire scene.

Jason Grace.

She slowly meets his wise, blue eyes and feels water beginning to cascade down her cheeks. His eyes don't show jealousy, nor hatred, nor sadness.

They show disappointment.

He holds Piper's gaze as he leans up against a tree, then breaks it. He walks inside the building, leaving Piper alone.

Completely and utterly alone.

* * *

She rushes towards the girl's bathroom and into a stall. She's sobbing, letting all the tears come out. Breathing heavily, she wonders if she's starting to hyperventilate.

_"Not only are you fat and ugly on the outside, you are on the inside too."_

"No." she murmurs, through glassy tears. "I'm a good person."

_"What kind of good person kisses her best friend's boyfriend?"_

So she threw up into the toilet.

Again and again.

_** ~Come on skinny love what happened here?  
Suckle on the hope in the light brassiere.  
My, my, my, my, my, my. Sudden low is full so on the split.~ **_

**A/N: Okay, so I hoped you guys liked it! I never really written anything like this before, so I really hope that this didn't turn out bad. This is intended to be a three shot, but that all depends on you guys and how much feedback I receive. ;)**

**IMPORTANT NEW: I have a new poll on my page so if you want to vote on my next Percabeth story, well, go vote!**

**More stories by me:**

**Unfinished Stories- "Annabeth Chase didn't think she was crazy, but when it came to a certain green eyed boy... she thought she was going completely and utterly insane." A collection of unfinished one-shots or short stories I have yet to finish. Most are Percabeth, but some include other couples as well such as Jeyna/Jasper/Lazel etc. Vote on the unfinished stories that you think I should continue! Rated K-T because there's a lot of them. R&R!**  
**The Butterfly Effect- Love. Sorrow. Remorse. Lies. "She screams until she's blue in the face. She screams and screams and screams yes. But she knows it's too late. The war has began, and now there's no going back." Anger. Regret, but most importantly betrayal. Set in Mockingjay, with the biggest twist ever imaginable. Rated T/M. Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Madge.**  
**Guilt-"Because in the end Annabeth decided that it's the guilt that is the worst." The aftermath of Tarturas, Annabeth and Percy have to deal with the heavy guilt that easily overpasses the burden of the sky. Rated T for torture, suicide, angst. Percabeth.  
Let The Fear In-"The fear was real. And I knew I had to deal with it. So I just made a choice. I'd let the fear in, let it take over, let it do its thing, but only for five seconds, that's all I was going to give it. So I started to count: one, two, three, four, five. Then it was gone." The fear was controlling her, as the car sat underwater. Then she thought- Jason. She had to save him. Somehow.  
The Little Mockingjay-"On the last moment, I rub the pin back and forth in between my fingertips feeling the warmth from it. The warmth from the little Mockingjay." Prim's perspective during the reaping, with a kiss on the cheek, comfort, and her thoughts about the capitol and the little glass bowl full of slips, she despises. Rated T for Angst and depressing words.  
Love- "Do you love, Annabeth?" Tyson questioned, as I spit out my drink. "What?" Tyson asks Percy if he loves Annabeth, and other very personal questions about their relationships. Set in TBOL, One-shot.  
It Was Her-After Beckendorf's death, Percy and Annabeth have a meaningful talk about his death, the prophecy, the war and about a certain red-head. "It wasn't your fault." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "You don't have to be jealous of her." One shot.  
Eternal Flame Prologue: A one shot/prologue to the new Percy Jackson fanfic Eternal Flame. Review and let me know if I should continue this or change the prologue. R&R  
All's Fair in Love and War-"Wait," Rachel said backtracking. "Did you just call me a hooker?" Octavian looked confused as she leaned up against the statue of Jupiter and giggled." He hated her. He despised her. So why was he finding it so hard not to stare into those green eyes of hers? She hated him. She despised him. Yet for some reason, he amused her to no end  
Tears of Glass- "How would her gravestone get here? It was impossible, because her whole family was...dead. Yet here it stood in the middle of a graveyard." Katherine reflects on her past, and all her mistakes. She also remembers all the times that she, the Katherine Peirce, cried. "Because it hurt. And feeling the shards of glass escape from her eyes, somehow made it all better." Rated T.**


	2. JASON

**~Sudden load is full so slow on the split  
And I told you to be patient and I told you to be fine.  
And I told you to be balanced and I told you to be kind.  
Now all your love is wasted and where the hell was I?  
'Cause now I'm breaking at the britches, and at the end of all your lines.~**

He finds her of course. He always finds her.

When he does eventually, finally, find her after many searching, she's crumpled on the bathroom floor like a lifeless rag doll, leaning up against the stall and sobbing hysterically.

He had never seen Piper Mclean cry. In Jason's fifteen years of knowing her, he had never seen her shed a single tear. Perhaps, he inquires to himself, there is many things that I don't know about my best friend. After all, he doesn't have X-ray vision.

He can't see behind closed doors.

Jason knocks on the bathroom stall door, not at all hesitant. Piper pauses abruptly, and he can tell that she's embarrassed that someone found her in such a precarious, fragile position.

"Piper?" He whispers, surprised at himself for taking. Normally he's the silent teenager, seated in the back of the classroom. The mute, many of the crueler kids call him. He rarely talks, even to his girlfriend Reyna. Even to his best friend Leo.

But with Piper it's different. She doesn't bother him if he speaks, and if he doesn't say a single word.

"...Jason?" She speaks after many moments, confusion in her voice. He hears the flushing of the toilet, and wonders if she's started to go back to that terrible habit of vomiting. The stall door clicks open, and there's Piper, her hair and makeup messed up, eyes puffy and red.

"What are you doing in the girl's restroom?" Her words make him crack a grin, and she smiles softly back, too. But, it's more of a melancholy smile. Then, he opens his arms and she flings into them.

She's so bony, so fragile, almost like a china doll. (hence the nickname he had given her) at first he's hesitant to wrap his arms around Piper, in fear of hurting her. But he does, because Jason knows how much she needs touch right now.

"It's okay, Piper." He whispers, stroking her choppy, brown hair. "I'm going to take care of you now. Everything's going to be okay, but you can't keep doing things like this, my China Doll." She stifles a sob, and nods into his shoulder. They stay like that for many minutes until she finally pulls away. His shirt is soaked wet, but he doesn't mind.

She swallows roughly, and he can tell by the way her Adams apple moves. Then, blushing, he forces himself to look away. Why was he looking at her lips?

"I made a mistake out there. Kissing Percy, I mean."

"We all make mistakes." Then, he asked the question that's been making his heart twist with envy. "Do you love Percy? Is that why you did it?"

He almost sighs in relief when Piper shakes her head, signaling a no. "I don't love him like that, Jason. " Then she takes a heavy breath."There's someone else."

He feels like dying at her words, though he's not sure why. _There's someone else._ Who? Leo? Frank? Malcolm? Michael Yew? Travis? Connor? Grover? Nico? Maybe even Dylan, but the chances of her being in love with him is like winning the lottery. Even so, each possibility feels like a sharp stab to the heart.

He shouldn't be hurting.

He has a girlfriend.

Reyna, a girl who he has known since the toddler years. She's beautiful with her dark, long hair. She's fierce and strong and independent...she's everything he had ever wanted in a girl.

So yeah, he shouldn't be feeling the way that he did about Piper.

But he just couldn't help himself.

He shakes the ludicrous thought off, and eyes her carefully with his wise, blue eyes. "So why did you kiss Percy?"

She bites her plush lip, and takes a sudden interest in her black converse shoes. "Annabeth... she told my dad... about that problem I have." He blinked in response.

"So you kiss her boyfriend? She was just looking out for you, Pipes."

Her jaw is set when she replies and her kelipose eyes are glazed with remorse. "Like I said before, I made a mistake."

"Then fix it."

"I will." She says, then gives him a strained smile.

He wished so badly he didn't feel what he felt for Piper.

But he does.

And it hurts so badly to know that she's in love with someone else.

**~ Who will love you?  
Who will fight?  
And who will fall, far behind?~**

When Jason see's Piper again the next day at school, she has a large, red handprint across the side of her cheek. He knows immediately who did it, but Piper doesn't seem angry with Annabeth. Jason guesses now their even. Not friends, not enemies.

Just even.

Percy doesn't talk to her. Not as if he's heckling her, but as if he's too embarrassed to face her.

Either way, Jason thinks it's an arrogant reason not to speak with her. But, then again, if he was in Percy's position, he'd probably do the exact same thing.

"Hey, bro." Thalia, his older sister calls to him as they enter the lunchroom. "Wanna sit with Luke and I?" Ah, Luke. Thalia's senior boyfriend, and Annabeth's Ex. He assumes there's tension between the two of them, but somehow the two best friends make it work.

"Nah," he replies truthfully, his eyes darting over to where Piper's seated. She's alone and doesn't have a lunch with her, which doesn't surprise him. "I'm going to sit somewhere else." Thalia's electrifying blue eyes follow his gaze, and a knowing grin spreads across her face, making her freckles dance.

"Ah, young love." He swats at her arm, and she dodges him easily, that same teasing expression on her face. "So, have you grown a pair to ask her out?"

He frowns at this comment. "I'm dating Reyna, Thals. Don't you remember?" That troubles him, the fact that no one ever remembers that him and Reyna are seeing each other. Thalia scoffs and rolls her eyes through her heavy eyeliner. She flicks a piece of raven hair to the side.

"Spare me, Jason. We all know you love Piper."

"That's not true! Maybe as a friend, but not like that. I love Reyna."

Thalia purses her lips, and looks at him thoughtfully. "Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself, than convince me." He runs a hand through his blonde hair to the side and scowls at Thalia.

"Could you be less annoying?"

"Nope, I don't think that's physically possible." She grins at him, once more, and it makes him uneasy. The grins more mischievous than teasing this time. "See you around, Jase." Then she saunters off, that big smile on her face, flashing him a small wink as she leaves. He crosses his arms, knowing that she's won this playful banter.

He begins to walk towards Piper, but not before a certain dark, haired brunette has anything to say about it.

"Jason?" Reyna says almost appearing out of nowhere. She leans up giving him a small peck on the cheek. "Where are you going? Are tables that way." No duh, he's tempted to say, but bites it back. It would only escalate into a fight.

"I think I'm going to sit with Pipes." Reyna's brown eyes flicker dangerously at the mention of her nickname. Jason doesn't notice this sudden mood shift in his girlfriend.

"Why? She's a whore."

"What?" Jason asks, sure he's heard her incorrectly. Sweet, kind Reyna would never say something cruel like that. "What did you just say?"

"I didn't stutter," she seethes her eyes angry. "I mean come on Jason, she kissed Percy right in front of Annabeth."

Jason suddenly feels angry. He doesn't know why.

"You don't know the whole story." He says, crossing his arms defensively. "You don't."

"Oh?" Reyna retorts back immediately. "And you somehow do?"

"Yeah. Yeah, actually I do." She rolls her eyes in irritation, and stares down at her nails.

Her eyes are hard when they glare at him, then they soften. "Jason. I need you to tell me the truth about something."

"What do you want to know?" Jason says obliviously, blue eyes widening. "Huh? Or are you just going to continue lecturing me about how Piper's a slut."

Reyna ignores this.

"Do you like Piper?" She blurts out before she can stop herself. "Tell me. Please Jason. And don't spare my feelings, Jase. I need to know this. Please."

"What? No, Rey. I love you." He clasps his hands around hers, his eyes comforting. "It'll always be you." Reyna beams up at him.

He's lying.

Always lying.

She kisses him softly, this time on the lips. Her lips are soft and warm and full of relief. There also full of love. So why wasn't Reyna enough for him? Why did he crave Piper so much? He shoves those thoughts away as he begins to return the affections, his hands sliding down to her hips. She's so beautiful with her curvy hips. So beautiful with her independent brown eyes. So beautiful with her long, dark hair.

He just wishes that whenever he kisses her, he doesn't see Piper.

"I love you, too." Reyna whispers, gently stroking his cheek. "I'm sorry I said those things about Piper; I don't know of her intentions and I had no right."

"It's fine."

He swallows, guiltily. He feels like he's stringing her along because he is indeed in love with someone else.

But he doesn't exactly know what he feels. He doesn't know what he feels for Reyna or Piper.

It's torture.

But Jason is sure that it's love.

**~Come on skinny love...  
My, my, my, my~**

He heads over to Piper's table, carrying not one tray of food, but two. Piper's eyes flicker momentarily up from her book that she's reading for a class assignment. Familiarity takes over her features, lighting her face up, and she sits up and brushes the ends of her pony-tail- fixing her hair.

"Hey. Can I sit?"

She gives him a warm smile. "Sure."

He sits down, and her eyes narrow in suspicion as she finally realizes he's holding two trays. They change to a turquoise color to a light violet. Jason winces, and hopes he's going to be able to have children after this suicide attempt.

He slides a tray over to her and she stares at it like it's disease ridden. "Eat."

She crosses her arms stubbornly across her chest. "No, Jason."

"Why not? Why don't you eat, Piper?" Jason shakes his head, trying to comprehend this distressing situation. "It must mean something..."

"You don't understand!" Piper says, her voice breaking. He stares at her in pity. He loves her and she's hurting badly. "...What it's like. To be hungry all the time... to know that you can never have food." She eyes the pizza greedily in front of her, then shoves it roughly away from her.

"Why can't you have food?" He grabs her hand from across the table, and prays that Reyna's not looking. Her face flushes, and he keeps holding onto her. Because he's not letting her go anytime soon. "Piper Elizabeth Mclean... help me understand."

For the past three years, he's tried not to pry. He's tried not to be that nosy best friend who tries to fix someone who doesn't want to be fixed. But now he's too tired to keep trying. Too fatigued.

Jason Grace has had enough of the secrets.

He needs the old Piper back, as cheesy as that sounds.

She looks up at him, cheeks still rosy, eyes brimming with an emotion he can't quite contemplate.

"I can't eat because I'm not allowed too." Her eyes dart around nervously and she flinches. "They won't let me."

"Who won't let you?" Jason demands, abruptly becoming protective of her. "Tell me."

"The monsters." He slowly leans back in his chair, his eyes widening with surprise. Realization hits him like a punch to the stomach, because all the air is knocked out of him. He never thought that Piper was wrong in the...wrong in the head.

"I used to be strong, and I could fight them away. I could run from them, and they couldn't find me. But, I'm not strong anymore, Jason. I'm weak, and now they're back." She holds onto his hand almost for dear life.

Jason swallows, never feeling this much concern for a person. He's very worried not, but he tries not to let it show. "What do they say to you? The monsters, I mean."

She stares down at the milk carton, sighing heavily, like this is something that she has already exclaimed too much already. "I don't want to talk about them. You can ask me anything else. Just not... not about the monsters."

"Okay," Jason said, accepting defeat. He doesn't want to push her, if Piper's as unstable as she seems right now. He edges along to a lighter topic, one that doesn't intervene with the... monsters.

"How do you do it?"

"How do I do what?"

"Keep it a secret from your family. It must be difficult." Piper purses her lips, then grabs the tray from Jason. Hope rises in his throat. Maybe Piper's finally going to eat!

She begins to cut up the pizza into little pieces. "Mmmmm, this looks so good Jason!" She stabs at the pizza, making it messier and messier. Sauce leaks out and cheese and pepperoni. He stares at her in curiosity with wide, blue eyes. "I'm so hungry. I forgot to eat breakfast!" Grabbing the fork from the side of her, Piper picks up a piece.

"Want one?"

He's not sure how to respond.

She shrugs back and places it on her plate. Then she picks up another piece. "Oh, come on! I'm sure you want some." She shovels some down on his plate, then the fork goes up to her lips, but doesn't enter her mouth.

"Wow! I'm stuffed. Thank you for an amazing lunch, though." She puts the fork down and shoves the tray away, crossing her arms and staring at him smugly.

Jason considers this for a moment. "Impressive." He had honestly thought she had eaten some.

"Thanks. Years of experience." She flashes him a smile, but her words make his stomach flip.

_Years of experience... _

How long had she been doing this for?

"How long has it been?"

Piper tilts her head to the side, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Three years. It started when I was twelve- about to turn thirteen."

"Oh," is all he can manage.

"It's okay, Jason. Trust me, it's not as bad as it seems. I mean sure, sometimes I get hungry, but I just end up puking it back up if I do eat."

"Oh." Then he realizes he should stop saying "oh" so many times.

"Why don't you tell anyone?"

Piper scowls. "I know what will happen if my dad were to find out. He'd put me in some mental hospital to help me get better. I don't want to go there, Jase. It frightens me just to think about leaving you- uh, my friends. Actually, the whole place frightens me. It's my living nightmare."

"Then I won't tell anyone."

"Pinky swear?" Piper teases, holding out her pinky. Jason smiles back at her and hooks his finger around hers. "Pinky swear."

Little does he know that he'll have to break that promise soon.

Very soon.

_~Come on skinny love what happened here?_

**A/N : Okay, from all the positive feedback from everyone, I've decided not to make it a three shot but a full on story! It'll only be around ten chapters but that's still longer than a three shot. So R&R people! It means a lot to me! Oh, and thank all of you who did review, favorite and follow from the last chapter!**

**IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Be sure to vote on my poll for the next Percabeth story I should write!**

**More stories by me:** More stories by me:

Unfinished Stories- "Annabeth Chase didn't think she was crazy, but when it came to a certain green eyed boy... she thought she was going completely and utterly insane." A collection of unfinished one-shots or short stories I have yet to finish. Most are Percabeth, but some include other couples as well such as Jeyna/Jasper/Lazel etc. Vote on the unfinished stories that you think I should continue! Rated K-T because there's a lot of them. R&R!  
The Butterfly Effect- Love. Sorrow. Remorse. Lies. "She screams until she's blue in the face. She screams and screams and screams yes. But she knows it's too late. The war has began, and now there's no going back." Anger. Regret, but most importantly betrayal. Set in Mockingjay, with the biggest twist ever imaginable. Rated T/M. Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Madge.  
Guilt-"Because in the end Annabeth decided that it's the guilt that is the worst." The aftermath of Tarturas, Annabeth and Percy have to deal with the heavy guilt that easily overpasses the burden of the sky. Rated T for torture, suicide, angst. Percabeth.**  
**Let The Fear In-"The fear was real. And I knew I had to deal with it. So I just made a choice. I'd let the fear in, let it take over, let it do its thing, but only for five seconds, that's all I was going to give it. So I started to count: one, two, three, four, five. Then it was gone." The fear was controlling her, as the car sat underwater. Then she thought- Jason. She had to save him. Somehow.**  
**The Little Mockingjay-"On the last moment, I rub the pin back and forth in between my fingertips feeling the warmth from it. The warmth from the little Mockingjay." Prim's perspective during the reaping, with a kiss on the cheek, comfort, and her thoughts about the capitol and the little glass bowl full of slips, she despises. Rated T for Angst and depressing words.**  
**Love- "Do you love, Annabeth?" Tyson questioned, as I spit out my drink. "What?" Tyson asks Percy if he loves Annabeth, and other very personal questions about their relationships. Set in TBOL, One-shot.**  
**It Was Her-After Beckendorf's death, Percy and Annabeth have a meaningful talk about his death, the prophecy, the war and about a certain red-head. "It wasn't your fault." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "You don't have to be jealous of her." One shot.**  
**Eternal Flame Prologue: A one shot/prologue to the new Percy Jackson fanfic Eternal Flame. Review and let me know if I should continue this or change the prologue. R&R**  
**All's Fair in Love and War-"Wait," Rachel said backtracking. "Did you just call me a hooker?" Octavian looked confused as she leaned up against the statue of Jupiter and giggled." He hated her. He despised her. So why was he finding it so hard not to stare into those green eyes of hers? She hated him. She despised him. Yet for some reason, he amused her to no end**  
**Tears of Glass- "How would her gravestone get here? It was impossible, because her whole family was...dead. Yet here it stood in the middle of a graveyard." Katherine reflects on her past, and all her mistakes. She also remembers all the times that she, the Katherine Peirce, cried. "Because it hurt. And feeling the shards of glass escape from her eyes, somehow made it all better." Rated T.


	3. PIPER2

_~Come on skinny love, just last the year.__**  
**__Poor a little salt we were never hear.__**  
**__My, my, my, my, my.__**  
**__Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer~_

Piper had never cut herself before. But now, staring down at the razor clasped tightly in her sweaty hands, she was rethinking the idea. Everything hurts so much. She's drowning inside of herself and Piper knows it too. She knows it's wrong. She knows it's addicting. But, she's willing to try anything that will suppress the pain. No! It will only make things worse, she counters with herself. She shut her eyes tightly, her vision abruptly tearing away from the blade.

_"Do it! It's not like anyone would even care. You're worthless and fat. So, Just close your eyes and slice. SLICE!" _Her eyes opened, and widened it shock. The razor slipped from her hands and fell to her bedroom floor in a loud clatter. The monsters had never said something like that before. Never. It was always about making her throw up and lose weight. It was always just about how fat she was, how stupid and ugly and worthless she was. They had never commanded her to do something so...harmful.

"Why?" She whispers to the voices aloud. "What's the point of torturing me day after day? What do you hope to gain?"

Then, the monsters say something that chills her to the very bone. "You're life." Piper doesn't respond back. And for once, she's scared of the monsters in her head. For fear of her actual life. _"Come on, Piper. No one will miss you if you're gone. Not even Jason."_

Pipers light blue eyes narrow, as they flicker dangerously pink. She scowls scornfully before replying. "Then why did he sit with me today at lunch? Why did he listen to me? Why did he even waste time me today? Because we're friends, and he does care about me."

_"Key word, Pipes. Friends."_

"I'd rather have him as a friend than nothing at all."

_"You know that isn't true."_

"So what if it isn't? You're not in charge of what I do."

Suddenly, abruptly there's a sharp emotion flashing through her, as quickly as lightening itself. Anger. Hot rage. It could be her, or the voices. She doesn't know.

Piper doesn't realize it, before it's too late. She doesn't feel herself pick up the blade from the floor, and lower it to her arm. She only realizes it when she feels a warm, scarlet liquid cascade down her arm.

_~Tell my love to wreck it all, cut out all the ropes and let me fall. "__**  
**__My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my...r__**  
**__right in the moment this orders tall~_

"Oh." Is all she can mange. Her face pales immediately, and she thinks she's going to revolt for the second time that day. "Oh my god."

Letting out a howl of pain, she rummages through her clothes and grabs a plain, white T-shirt. Thinking all on indistinct and impulse, she wraps it around her wounded arm, and has to bite down on her tongue to keep from screaming out again.

_"You're losing yourself Piper. Were slowly taking over. Soon, very soon, we will take over you completely and entirely. It's only a matter of time."_

Through blurry, glassy tears, she replies hoarsely; "You mean you did this to me?" Fear is everywhere. It's inside of her, not just creeping around the edges, fear is taunting her, threatening to slip inside of her and control her.

_"Yes. We did. See what I mean? Soon, Piper, very soon, you won't even be able to move your own body. And while we're at it, controlling your body, we might bang handsome Jason Grace in the process." _

"Shut up!" She cries out, gripping the sides of her hair with her free hand. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

_"So what? You know you want to, you little whore. What difference does it make if we're controlling you? You'll still be feeling every...single...second of the laborious pleasure."_

"I HATE YOU!" She shrieks, and is glad her father is not home. The maids might've heard her scream, but that thought is in the back of her mind as she begins to have another meltdown. "I hate you! I hate you! I. Hate. You." She seethes, biting down on her lip to restrain from ripping her hair out.

She squeezes her now red T-shirt, applying pressure to her long, jagged cut. Sure, it had felt good for a moment. The rush of adrenaline. And for a moment, she had forgotten. Basically about everything, and it had felt nice to not remember.

But then there felt as if a fire was igniting on her arm, and she only hated herself more.

_"Please,"_ the monsters echo sarcastically, in unison. _"Honestly Piper, you don't hate us. Secretly, you love us. You love us. But then again, maybe you do hate us. Maybe you despise us down to your very core, maybe you want to chop away your head just to be rid of us. Think again, girlie. Because we are you."_

Piper Elizabeth Mclean doesn't know what the truth is. Is there really even a truth? Or is everything in the world dirty, unclean, filthy dishonest words. Is everything lies?

Piper staggers to her feet, her fingers frantically grabbing at a tissue box. She takes a couple, and places them on top of the soaked towel. The room seems to be spinning and she feels light headed. Her head aches, and throbs, almost like two knives are stabbing right into her temples. She wonders in a sudden panic, if she had hit one of her main arteries or veins. Piper knows she has to check to be sure, but she doesn't really want to see and smell all of that blood.

She sharply inhales and exhales, then unwraps the white T-shirt and the tissues. It isn't as bad as she was expecting. It wasn't a main vein or blood vessel. Just very long. It stretched from her wrist to her mid shoulder area.

Piper squints closer at the cut. There's something unusual about it. And then she sees that it's not just a cut, it's words. One three letter word, that made her want to scream all over again.

**FAT**.

_~And I told you to be patient, I told you to be kind.__**  
**__In the morning I'll be with you... but if will be a different kind.__**  
**__'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets and you'll be owning the fines~_

She holds out her arm, as if it contains a fatal disease and rushes to her bathroom. She's glad she has her very own, in her own bedroom (at the top floor), because then someone, like her butler or maid, might see her like this. And Piper has no doubt in her mind that they would tell her father, Tristan Mclean. She shivers at the thought. She's had many nightmares about that happening, and prays to god that it doesn't.

She turns on the sink with her free, un-bloody hand, and waters rushes. She sticks the injured one under the warm water. She hisses when the water comes into contact with her cut. It stings.

Then there's a thought that rings through her head, troubling her. _Now, it's part of you. It will become a scar and never disappear. You will constantly be reminded that you're fat._

Shaking her head, she notices warm tears beginning to fall down her face. Large ones and they spill down her face in puddles, it almost seems like.

She had never cried this hard before, and if she did cry, then she was utterly silent. But now, sobs were escaping her lips. Loud ones.

Then, she screams as she did before. She screams and screams and screams. Her voice is hoarse when she finishes, but, it feels like something heavy has been lifted off of her chest, and now she can breathe better now.

Piper only hopes that the feeling of sheer innocence lasts a little longer.

She dries off her arm with her towel, after it seems to be dry she bandages it with the spare first AID kit in her bathroom closet.

Then, her phone rings.

She flinches and pauses. She's slightly afraid that it's her father, and one of the cooks or whoever had reported it to Tristan. She takes a deep breath, and wipes the corners of her eyes. There still red and puffy, but the crying and sobbing had ceased.

One more deep breath, and she clicks answer. "Hello?" She tries desperately to keep her voice in level, trying to make sure it doesn't crack. It does.

"...Piper?" It's Jason's voice, and Piper feels her heart beat a little faster than usual. "Are you okay? You weren't in school today. I was, well, I was worried about you."

She's ashamed. Ashamed that she had done this terrible thing to herself. She doesn't know why, but whenever Jason's around her, she feels ashamed of not eating. Of throwing up.

He makes her want to try and get better.

"Yeah. I-I'm sick." She coughed for good measure. "And don't be concerned for my wealth. I'm fine, really, I am."

"Uh huh." Is all he responds with, his voice unconvinced. "So you're sure that you're okay? Absolutely positive?"

She bites down on her glossed lip. "...yes." There was no need for Jason to get involved with this incident, and as far as she was concerned she didn't want him to know that she had cut herself.

"Pinky swear?" Jason's voice teases over the line. Piper stares down at the floor, fresh tears replacing the old ones. A recent memory flickers through her head.

"Piper? Pinky swear your alright?" His voice is on edge, knowing that she isn't okay, and that she cannot say 'pinky swear.'

"I have to go now. Goodbye, Jason." She's doing the right thing, Piper tells herself. Push him away because you don't deserve him. And he most certainly doesn't deserve an insecure, fat, cutter.

"Piper, no! Wait-" she hangs up and the line goes dead. The side of her head is still leaning up against her Iphone five minutes later.

She then, throws the razor, the bloody tissues and the T-shirt into the trash.

Then, she keeps her head held high as she walks out of her bathroom. Nothing happened. You never cut yourself. You're fine.

Completely fine.

But, her mind keeps replaying the knife... cutting into her flesh. She quickly decides to do her homework, the work that she had missed the day before. Her eyes glaze down to the meaningless assignment in front of her.

**Greek Mythology HW: Write a detailed essay about your favorite Greek God or Goddess. Must have an introduction, three body paragraphs, detailed proof/backup, and a supportive ending paragraph. Must exceed, or be limited to, at least two thousand words. Happy writing!**

Her petite, polished fingernail traces over the word 'happy'. She frowns, her eyes thoughtful, red rimming the edges. There was nothing happy about writing a paper for school. And there was nothing happy about life either.

So who was anyone fucking kidding?

Piper pushes down her hot anger and tries to focus on her paper. She really does, but it's just too hard.

Instead, she ends up writing this:

_**Help, I have done it again  
I have been here many times before  
Hurt myself again today  
And the worst part is there's no one else to blame**_

Be my friend  
Hold me, wrap me up  
Unfold me  
I am small and needy  
Warm me up  
And breathe me

Ouch, I have lost myself again  
Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found,  
Yeah I think that I might break  
I've lost myself again and I feel unsafe

Be my friend  
Hold me, wrap me up  
Unfold me  
I am small and needy  
Warm me up  
And breathe me 

She blinks and rereads the writing in front of her. Then, she shoves the words away from her. Shoves the assignment away from her. Shoves life away from her. She gets up from her desk, and curls up in bed like a small, frightened innocent child and immediately falls asleep the moment her head touches the pillow.

A nightmare greets her.

_"Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posy. Ashes to ashes, we all fall down." There' s kids in the field. Their tan, small hands are intertwined as they spin around and around in circles. The sun is shining down on the field, on the yellow crops of wheat, making them look as if they were golden. Piper smiles at the scene in front of her. _

_The children kept dancing, enchanted in their own, flawless world. Piper couldn't help but smile. They were just so... gay with happiness. Drowning with love and kindness. Drunk on sunshine and friendship. _

_"-we all fall down!" They collapsed to the ground in a heave, giggles echoing everywhere. She was sitting on a bench, made out of wrapped around tree's and bark. She ran her finger along it, but it was too sharp. Piper pulled away quickly, only then to realize that there singing had ceased. A pregnant pause took over._

_Then one child laughed. She had pale skin, frizzy red hair, and icy blue eyes. The sunshine made her look almost transparent, because of her looks. Her high peal of laughter was directed at me. The other children stared at her, eyes filled with puzzlement. _

_She pointed at me, and stopped laughing. But a smile replaced her giggles. "Look, everyone! It's Piper!" Realization flickered in the children's eyes, and they began to stare at me. Not gawking, but merrily staring at me. It should've gave her a red alarm to the fact that Piper didn't know them, but they seemed to know her. Instead of poking at the matter, she just smiled gently, and raised her arm slowly up and waved towards them. _

_The youngest of the group, the girl with the red hair, gestured for Piper to come over. She shook her head, but the red headed girl was persistent. One of the boys in the group (he had curly, brunette hair and emerald green eyes, which reminded Piper vaguely of Percy's) got the message and ran up to me, his awkward, chubby legs defenseless. _

_"Hello," Piper said to him as he approached her. "What's your name?"_

_"Will," he responded with a toothless smile. Then, he began prattling away to me the way all young kids do. "All of us want you to come and play, Piper! Ashes to Ashes, Pipes!" _

_Those words disturbed her, but Piper didn't quite know why. _

_"-we all fall down!" _

_"I don't think so," Piper said, recoiling from the child. "I mean, I'd love to just watch you."_

_"Oh, come one Pipes! You've had a rough day. Don't you want to escape it all?- even for just a few minutes?"_

_"It's okay, Will. Really. Maybe in a little bit, I'll play with you guys. But for now, I'm content with just watching. Honestly, I'm happy as it is."_

_His smile pulled into an abrupt frown. His mood switched as fast as if someone snapped there fingers. "Why...are...you...happy?"_

_Piper's plush lips pulled downward. She was confused. "Aren't you happy?"_

_"Yes. But you're not supposed to be." Will said, looking as confused as Piper was. The eldest a girl with long, dark hair and brown eyes narrowed her eyes at him. If looks could kill, Will would be dead on the spot. Piper shivered at the thought. _

_"Will," the girl said cautiously. "Let's not pester Piper with all of these... trivialities." The other children nodded in agreement. She then averted her attention at her, an apologetic look in her eyes._

_"I'm sorry about this, Pipes. He's new to all of this, you see. He's our rookie." She ran a hand through his hair. "Now, run along William. Let me have a chat with Piper." She blinked as Piper stared at the ten year old in front of her. She looked so familiar..._

_An image of Reyna appeared in Piper's mind, but she waved the thought immediately away. It just wasn't possible._

_She took a seat next to me and tilted her head to the side. "You see, the other kids were very excited that we finally got to meet you face to face. I don't want to upset them. Could you maybe just play one teensy round of "Ashes to Ashes" with us? It would be doing me a great favor." Piper smiled. _

_"Sure. Why not?" _

_"My name's Rebecca by the way."_

_"Just a quick question, Rebecca; how do you all know me?"_

_Rebecca just smiled in response, and Piper felt the urge to veer away from her. She didn't know why, but the whole situation was very unsettling. Instead of prying, she got up and followed Rebecca to the middle of the field. _

_The red- headed girl grabbed her hand, and Will hesitantly touched Piper's hand. Piper nodded, a clarification that he could. Their hands all laced together, and slowly they began to run. Spinning around in long, quick circles. Piper laughed along with them, the sun beating down on her back. She was becoming out of breath, but the exercise and sunshine felt good. Rebecca gave her a nod of approval at her actions._

_Then, the tugging of their hands began to grow rougher. Jerking Piper back and forth. She let out a cry of pain as she tumbled to the ground, tripping over her own feet. They grabbed her arm and pulled so hard she was afraid that it would pop out of its socket. _

_"Stop! You're hurting me!" The children of the field just laughed louder, only the tone of their peals of giggles had changed. It sounded more evil like than cheerful._

_"ASHES TO ASHES!" They chanted, pulling her harder. Almost ripping her in half. "ASHES TO ASHES!" The sun disappeared and storm clouds rolled in. Flames ignited the field, as it began to set on fire, drawing a circle around them. Piper ripped her hand away from William, and he glared at her. She backed up, but there was nowhere to go but flames. _

_Rain was pouring down heavily now, soaking Piper instantly. Only, it didn't put out the flames. Instead, it seemed almost as if to be fueling the already lit flames. _

_"Ashes to ashes, Piper." Rebecca whispered stepping in front of her. The other children followed her lead, sticking their arms out. "They all fall down."_

_Then, she was pushed into the flames. _

Piper woke up screaming and thrashing against Rebecca's hands. She was pinning her down, shoving her harder into the flames. Only, there wasn't a burning sensation like she had expected. There was only her comforter and mattress. Her eyes opened wider, taking in her room. Relief filled her to her top, and she let out a heavy breath. It was all just a dream. Breathe.

Tears were leaking down her face, and she realized that the hands pinning her down weren't just in the dream. She looked upward, her gaze met by a pair of blue, concerned eyes.

**~Come on skinny love...~**

**A/N: Gods, this took me three hours to write! I had major writer's block for this chapter. I just find it easier to write in Jason's perspective than Piper's. Anyway, thank you all for following, reviewing and favoriting! Means a lot! I also want to thank the people who read my story "Playing The Player". It's now my most popular story, so thanks!**

**More Stories by Me:  
Playing The Player-****"Here's the game, Percy Jackson. We date. We hold hands, we kiss. We do all that couple stuff I know you despise. The first person who falls in love with each other loses." Annabeth Chase has had enough of womanizer Percy Jackson, after he breaks up with her best friend. So she tries to do the impossible. She tries to play the player. Only problem? She's falling in love with him.**_  
_**Unfinished Stories- "Annabeth Chase didn't think she was crazy, but when it came to a certain green eyed boy... she thought she was going completely and utterly insane." A collection of unfinished one-shots or short stories I have yet to finish. Most are Percabeth, but some include other couples as well such as Jeyna/Jasper/Lazel etc. Vote on the unfinished stories that you think I should continue! Rated K-T because there's a lot of them. R&R!  
The Butterfly Effect- Love. Sorrow. Remorse. Lies. "She screams until she's blue in the face. She screams and screams and screams yes. But she knows it's too late. The war has began, and now there's no going back." Anger. Regret, but most importantly betrayal. Set in Mockingjay, with the biggest twist ever imaginable. Rated T/M. Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Madge.  
Guilt-"Because in the end Annabeth decided that it's the guilt that is the worst." The aftermath of Tarturas, Annabeth and Percy have to deal with the heavy guilt that easily overpasses the burden of the sky. Rated T for torture, suicide, angst. Percabeth.****  
****Let The Fear In-"The fear was real. And I knew I had to deal with it. So I just made a choice. I'd let the fear in, let it take over, let it do its thing, but only for five seconds, that's all I was going to give it. So I started to count: one, two, three, four, five. Then it was gone." The fear was controlling her, as the car sat underwater. Then she thought- Jason. She had to save him. Somehow.****  
****The Little Mockingjay-"On the last moment, I rub the pin back and forth in between my fingertips feeling the warmth from it. The warmth from the little Mockingjay." Prim's perspective during the reaping, with a kiss on the cheek, comfort, and her thoughts about the capitol and the little glass bowl full of slips, she despises. Rated T for Angst and depressing words.****  
****Love- "Do you love, Annabeth?" Tyson questioned, as I spit out my drink. "What?" Tyson asks Percy if he loves Annabeth, and other very personal questions about their relationships. Set in TBOL, One-shot.****  
****It Was Her-After Beckendorf's death, Percy and Annabeth have a meaningful talk about his death, the prophecy, the war and about a certain red-head. "It wasn't your fault." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "You don't have to be jealous of her." One shot.****  
****Eternal Flame Prologue: A one shot/prologue to the new Percy Jackson fanfic Eternal Flame. Review and let me know if I should continue this or change the prologue. R&R****  
****All's Fair in Love and War-"Wait," Rachel said backtracking. "Did you just call me a hooker?" Octavian looked confused as she leaned up against the statue of Jupiter and giggled." He hated her. He despised her. So why was he finding it so hard not to stare into those green eyes of hers? She hated him. She despised him. Yet for some reason, he amused her to no end****  
****Tears of Glass- "How would her gravestone get here? It was impossible, because her whole family was...dead. Yet here it stood in the middle of a graveyard." Katherine reflects on her past, and all her mistakes. She also remembers all the times that she, the Katherine Peirce, cried. "Because it hurt. And feeling the shards of glass escape from her eyes, somehow made it all better." Rated T.**__


	4. JASON2

_**~Sudden load is full so slow on the split  
And I told you to be patient and I told you to be fine.  
And I told you to be balanced and I told you to be kind.  
Now all your love is wasted and where the hell was I?  
'Cause now I'm breaking at the britches, and at the end of all your lines.~**_

"Eat." One simple word. One simple word can change a lot though. It can change your perspective of things, give you a different viewing. Negatively or positively. Jason Jupiter Grace was hoping that this was going to be a positive reaction. He was here, risking it all. But enough was enough. He wanted, no needed, Piper back.

He shoved he plate in front of her, slowly growing frustrated with himself and her. Calm and collected, the blonde headed teenager reminded himself. That's how it had to be done.

"No," she replied matter-of-factly. "It will just come back up again. I already puked today, and I don't want to again." Jason sighed and ran a hand through his fair, blonde hair. He had tried- and had failed, just like all of his desperate attempts before. He was strained and tense, and so was Pipes. But this was one argument he couldn't lose to. The consequences of losing could be deadly. Literally.

"Look, Piper..." he started, and her eyebrow shot up at this new firm, tone of voice. He continued anyway; "if this is about your looks- you need to forget about it. It doesn't matter what you look like." She scowled with unchildlike redemption.

"You know that's not the slightest bit true. Everyone in this world cares. It does matter, Jason."

"Maybe not to the rest of the world. But to me-my world- it doesn't really matter." Her bottom lip quivered, and she sank her teeth into it to hide it.

"I told you not to come over. You did anyway." It wasn't a question, but more like an accusation. Jason Grace felt as if he was on a blaring, heated spotlight. And it wasn't fun. He also felt like a terrible friend. He hadn't come to her aid intentionally or purposely. Guilt stirred in his stomach at the thought. He had just walked numbly, un-amused and utterly bored. And instead of his legs finding Reyna's house, or his own, he had found a mansion. Piper Mclean's to be exact.

It wasn't fair.

He shouldn't be so concerned, so worried about just-a- friend. Leo wasn't, despite the fact that Piper and him were best friends since the toddler years. Then, in Leo's behalf, he didn't know what Piper was going through. Piper was a skilled liar, and incredible at covering up her tracks. She had proved that to him at lunch a few days ago. (He wasn't so positive that was a good characteristic to have in one of his closest of friends).

"I've been trying to ignore you, Jason." She said hoarsely.

"What? Why?"

"I don't deserve you," she responded a few moments later. Her eyes hesitantly met his blue ones, and he saw her eyes change color. Violet to blue. "You're so good to me, Jase. It's not fair of me to hold you down of doing other things. It's not your job to look after me." The coffee mug in her hand began to shake, as a result to her trembling hands. They were seated downstairs in the extravagant dining room, with her father gone and the help dismissed.

"With all due respect Piper," Jason started to say, cautiously. "I didn't ask for your permission. This is my choice, I promise you you're not forcing me to watch you. Like I said before: I'm worried."

She scoffed quietly, not as a signal of annoyance, but as sadness.

Desperate to change the subject he said, "is that what brought on your nightmare?" They're eyes met, Piper's filled with complete denial. "You were thrashing around and screaming. I'm pretty sure you don't dream about rainbows while doing that."

She waved her hand. "It's nothing."

"Speaking of nothing," Jason put quotations around the word. "What happened on the phone? You sounded shaky. I knew something was wrong. You didn't tell me." Jason couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed by this. After all, he was looking after her. He felt like hitting himself, as he discovered how arrogant that thought sounded. He had no idea what it was like to be in Piper Elizabeth Mclean's shoes, or in this case converses.

Piper pursed her lips, and set her coffee down. Both of theirs remained untouched. Along with the sandwich and chips he had made Piper.

"You'll just tell my dad. Then, I'll be gone for good."

"We made a promise. Now come on, Piper. What happened?" There was something grave in her tone of voice, and Jason instantly knew. Something bad had happened. Something worse than anything.

She sighed once, before slowly, hesitantly lifting up her sleeve. He had wondered why she had been wearing such long sleaves, on such a hot, summer day. Now, he was about to find out.

He didn't want to.

Then, he saw a bandage. He reached out his hand towards her arm, but stopped midway. "Did you fall, Piper?"

"No."

"Did someone hurt you?" He didn't know why he even bothered to ask. Jason already knew; it was written all over her face.

"No."

He swallowed, trying to blink back the tears in his eyes. "Did you hurt yourself... intentionally?"

Piper took a shaky breath. "...Yes."

"Oh, Piper..." he knelt down next to her chair and pulled her into a tight hug. He could feel her crying.

"It was just an accident," she cried through his shirt. It was smothered, but he could still hear her distinctively. "I...I...I wasn't thinking. It wasn't me."

"I know, Piper. I know." Jason didn't know.

She fell asleep in his arms.

~ Who will love you?  
Who will fight?  
And who will fall, far behind?~

He went home then, his heart heavy and confusion everywhere. He was basically just a kid, and he was dealing with such a big problem. And it wasn't even his. It was Piper's, but now, he had to carry it. It wasn't like he _didn't _want to. He did, more than anything he had ever craved.

"Hey, Jase." Thalia says with a grin, as he walks through the door. Her hair is in two braids, her bangs spiked up, eyeliner heavy. Her smile falls seeing the look of despair on her little brother's face. "What's wrong? What happened at Piper's-"

"I need help. And I don't know what to do." Thalia pursed her black lips together, hence the lipstick. Just from the sober tone in Jason's low voice, she knew something was going on; a lot bigger than having a crush on his best friend.

"Well, sit down. Thalia Grace- older sister and advise helper at you're assistance." Jason gave her a thin, strained smile. It was weary, but grateful.

He sat down in a chair, Thalia leaning back into the couch. "What can I do for you?"

Jason hesitated, his mouth opening half ajar. he had promised Piper he wouldn't tell anyone, but Thalia was different. Plus, he needed to get this off his chest, or else he felt like he would go insane.

He took a deep breath, and spilled the entire story to Thalia- at least all that he knew.

"Wow," she breathes out when he finished. "That's a lot to take in." She's not in awe, Thalia's in shock. "Did you help her?"

Jason sighs, "I tried, Thals. I really did. I just don't know how." Thalia purses her lips, her chin leaning against her fists. There silent for a moment- but she breaks it quickly, desperate to stay away from an awkward pause.

"So...she cuts." Jason gives her a curt nod, briefly remembering the time when his older sister had that little problem. Thalia pulls down her sleeve, when his blue eyes flicker down to her arm. Shooting him a look, she shrugs, eyes dark.

"You know I've stopped. What's with all this interrogation?"

"I'm not questioning you, Thals. It's just, I'm thinking about how much Sunny Hills helped me and-"

"You want to send Piper there," Thalia finishes off, her lips pulling into an even tighter straight line. "Look, Jase, they might have made me better, but it was hard. Hell, even." She takes a swig of a blue can labeled 'bud-light,' and he gives her a look of disapproval. She ignores it and continues. "I hated it there. I hated the stupid attempts at decorations or fun. I hated the food, the rooms, the nurses. Everything. But, I have to give them credit. They did help me get better."

Jason bits down on his lip, roughly, drawing little blood. "So if we send her there...she might possibly get better?"

"It's none of our business where she goes. Or, what she does to get better."

"Well, it's my business now!"

"I understand that, Jason, " Thalia says slowly, her voice straining. "I also understand that Piper thinks she's doing the right thing by keeping it a secret. Trying to not hurt anyone she cares about like her dad. This is some serious shit, Jason. I don't want you getting caught up in the middle of this."

"Too late, now," he hisses. "I thought that your trying to help me."  
Her eyes narrow, flickering dangerously, as if they were being electrified. "Don't bite my head off just because you didn't get the answers that you wanted."

Jason sighed, placing his head in his hands. "I'm sorry. I just don't know what I should do."

"Tell her dad."

"What? No! I made a promise not to tell anyone. Especially not her dad, Tristan."

"You told me," Thalia pointed out, que an accusing finger his way. "And, is that promise going to be worth finding Piper dead one day?" He shuts his eyes tightly, his stomach churning at the horrific thought of losing her.

"Please, don't say things like that."

"Sorry. I'm just trying to be realistic here. One, she cut herself. Two, she doesn't eat. Three, she's getting thinner every day. One day, your skinny love is going to fade away. That's the truth Jason."

Jason scowled, his light blue eyes becoming dark with grief. The thought of losing Piper...it was too much to bare. "I thought you were going to help me. Tell me what to do."

"I am, Jason. You just have to listen with your heart instead of with your ears."

"...what?" He doesn't understand the words that Thalia had just spoke, and yet he does at the same time.

She gives him a soft, sad smile. "Annabeth got me into books. Don't ask."

He shakes his head in disbelief, and there's an actual legitimate smile on his face. "Don't worry. I won't." She pats his leg, standing up.

"Good. I'm going to make us some coffee. I'll be right back."

When Thalia returns with two mugs in her hand, he's gone.

_**~Come on skinny love...  
My, my, my, my~**_

"I'm glad you came to me Jason." Tristan Mclean says half-heartedly. He rubs his temples with his hands. "I just never knew. Annabeth had tried to tell me..."

"But Piper can be convincing," Jason supplied quickly, the warmth from the teacup already fading. "She told me not to tell you. I wasn't exactly sure what to do."

"Don't worry, Jason. You did the right thing. I' also apologize for my daughter putting you in such a precarious position."

"I'm not sure I did, sir. I mean, what are you going to do to her?"

"I don't know, Jason. I have no idea. Just right now, I need the story from her."

He ignores his last statement, because it would never do him any good to question the man. "Where's Piper now?"

"Out with Leo, Hazel, and Frank. Well, at least I think she is. Anyway, she should be back any minute."

"Should I leave?" He asks, his eyes nervously darting towards the door.

He shrugs. "If you want. But, I think it would be best if you stayed."

"She's going to kill me, sir."

"You and me both kid," he mutters under his breath, but it's loud enough for Jason to hear. Then the sound that Jason is dreading rings through his ears. The opening of a door. He hears Piper giggle, Leo's light, humorous voice, Frank's heavy footsteps and Hazel's short goodbye. The door closes, and Piper walks into the room.

"Hey, dad. I'm back. I hope you don't mind, I ate with Leo, Frank, and Hazel. Dad? Dad, are you in here-" she freezes in place when she sees the scene in front of her. Jason, sitting there, his face hard. Her dad's conflicted expression. The tea in front of them. The sorrowful atmosphere. Jason figures she must know, because of her skin tone, which was paling rapidly.

"What have you done?" She all but whispers to Jason, her voice full of pain and betrayal. "What have you done?"

_**~Come on Skinny love what happened here?~**_

**A/N: Sorry it was so short, guys. I had major writer's block for this chapter. And I'm happy to say that I'm almost finished with this fic. Two, or three chapters left. Maybe more, but I'm not sure at this point. Thank you all who have reviewed, favorited, and followed. Meant a bunch! **

**More Stories by me:**

**Unfinished Stories- "Annabeth Chase didn't think she was crazy, but when it came to a certain green eyed boy... she thought she was going completely and utterly insane." A collection of unfinished one-shots or short stories I have yet to finish. Most are Percabeth, but some include other couples as well such as Jeyna/Jasper/Lazel etc. Vote on the unfinished stories that you think I should continue! Rated K-T because there's a lot of them. R&R!  
The Butterfly Effect- Love. Sorrow. Remorse. Lies. "She screams until she's blue in the face. She screams and screams and screams yes. But she knows it's too late. The war has began, and now there's no going back." Anger. Regret, but most importantly betrayal. Set in Mockingjay, with the biggest twist ever imaginable. Rated T/M. Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Madge.  
Guilt-"Because in the end Annabeth decided that it's the guilt that is the worst." The aftermath of Tarturas, Annabeth and Percy have to deal with the heavy guilt that easily overpasses the burden of the sky. Rated T for torture, suicide, angst. Percabeth.****  
****Let The Fear In-"The fear was real. And I knew I had to deal with it. So I just made a choice. I'd let the fear in, let it take over, let it do its thing, but only for five seconds, that's all I was going to give it. So I started to count: one, two, three, four, five. Then it was gone." The fear was controlling her, as the car sat underwater. Then she thought- Jason. She had to save him. Somehow.****  
****The Little Mockingjay-"On the last moment, I rub the pin back and forth in between my fingertips feeling the warmth from it. The warmth from the little Mockingjay." Prim's perspective during the reaping, with a kiss on the cheek, comfort, and her thoughts about the capitol and the little glass bowl full of slips, she despises. Rated T for Angst and depressing words.****  
****Love- "Do you love, Annabeth?" Tyson questioned, as I spit out my drink. "What?" Tyson asks Percy if he loves Annabeth, and other very personal questions about their relationships. Set in TBOL, One-shot.****  
****It Was Her-After Beckendorf's death, Percy and Annabeth have a meaningful talk about his death, the prophecy, the war and about a certain red-head. "It wasn't your fault." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "You don't have to be jealous of her." One shot.****  
****Eternal Flame Prologue: A one shot/prologue to the new Percy Jackson fanfic Eternal Flame. Review and let me know if I should continue this or change the prologue. R&R****  
****All's Fair in Love and War-"Wait," Rachel said backtracking. "Did you just call me a hooker?" Octavian looked confused as she leaned up against the statue of Jupiter and giggled." He hated her. He despised her. So why was he finding it so hard not to stare into those green eyes of hers? She hated him. She despised him. Yet for some reason, he amused her to no end****  
****Tears of Glass- "How would her gravestone get here? It was impossible, because her whole family was...dead. Yet here it stood in the middle of a graveyard." Katherine reflects on her past, and all her mistakes. She also remembers all the times that she, the Katherine Peirce, cried. "Because it hurt. And feeling the shards of glass escape from her eyes, somehow made it all better." Rated T.**


	5. PIPER3

**_~Come on skinny love, just last the year.__  
__Poor a little salt we were never hear.__  
__My, my, my, my, my.__  
__Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer~_**

If there's something that Piper absolutely despises, it's mental hospitals. The dingy, grey, worn walls and failed attempts to lively up the place with forms of decorations and decor. Don't the people who work in the place know that insane people don't really see any difference whether or not there's posters or statues? Red balloons to blue? Piper sighs, swallowing down her medication with a heavy heart. At least it's a modern mental hospital. She had read about past Asylum's- oh, sorry, mental hospitals- and how unruly and truly foul there conditions were. Still, even though she wasn't in an electric chair, it still felt like it.

She had been given a roommate at Sunny Hills Mental Hospital, Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She's okay, even if she mutters strange, gibberish-like words underneath her breath. She's decent, even if she thinks she's an Oracle and can recite prophecies. For a psycho- whoops, mental patient- she's fairly okay. Friendly and nice, and doesn't hover.

The only thing was that Piper wasn't crazy. She just had an eating disorder.

NOT CRAZY.

This was all Jason's fault! She bit her plush rip roughly, taking a concentration to her plaid shoes. She understood why Jason had done it. He had been worried about her. He cared about her. She paused her thoughts, waiting for the monsters to jump in. They never did, almost like the pills were drowning their voices and criticisms out. Piper swallowed down another pill and handed the cup pleasantly back to the elderly women in a green suit. Already there was a plan forming in her mind. If she acts as kind as she can and trustworthy, perhaps they'd release her earlier. Piper Mclean shoved the thought away as she took her place in a chair for lunch.

For once in her life, she was glad that her father was rich. It was a nice, clean, well structured building. The nurses and shrinks-therapists, were all professionals and as good as they could get. But, then again, that could also result in a bad thing if Piper was trying to pull off her newest facade. She hugged her thin arms together tightly.

No, this wasn't Jason's fault.

It was her own. She had told Jason once that she didn't deserve him, and this had proved it.

Jason just thought that he was doing what was best for her and Piper could understand that. If situations were reversed, Piper would be knocking on Mrs. Grace's door worried and frantic.

But, still...he promised.

He promised that he wouldn't tell. He promised that he wouldn't let anyone take her away. Her eyes became glassy and she furiously blinked, trying to contain them.

"Hey, anorexic girl!" She heard a masculine voice call out. Piper froze in place. Was he talking to her? She very slowly turned around and was met with icy, light blue eyes locked with hers.

Hesitantly, she pointed at herself mouthing, "Me?"

The straw haired boy nodded, grinning crookedly. "Yes, you! You want to sit with me and my friends?" More hesitation held her back. Her entire plan was trying to get out of here and that meant trusting no one. But, maybe she could trust this boy. He was strongly built, blue eyes, blonde hair, and a scar scrawling down his left cheek. In other words, he looked slightly like Jason, only his features were different. His blonde hair was leaning more towards bleach blonde and his blue eyes were light enough to turn white.

He was kind of cute...

She shook her head at her hormonal, ludicrous thoughts. Besides that, Jason was cuter.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way over to the table, flushing as she did so. As she approached the boy and his friends, all eyes seemed to be locked on her. "Hi..."

"Hey," the boy replied. She studied him for a moment, taking in the fact that he seemed eighteen or nineteen, not fifteen like her. "I'm Luke. Luke Castellen." She gave him a curt nod, eyeing the empty seat in front of her. "You can sit down, you know." Looking sheepish, she took a seat next to Luke.

Luke gestured to a girl who had black flowing hair, and brightly lit blue eyes. "This is Silena Beauregard. She's an anorexic, too." Piper gave a small wave as he continued. It was nice to have another person dealing with her problem. It wasn't so good that Silena had the disorder, but just the fact that Piper wasn't alone made her feel so much better.

"Travis and Connor Stoll. There kleptomaniacs." The curly eyed twins grinned deviously at Piper, and her hand immediately flew up to her jean pocket.

"Clarisse La Rue," Luke pointed at a beefy girl, who's jaw was set and a red fiery bandanna held her frizzy, greasy, brown hair into place. "She has anger issues." Clarisse glowered at Luke, who shrunk away slightly, but that same amused smile still ruled across his face.

"And this is Katie Gardner," a sweet looking girl shakes Piper's small hand, giving her a warm smile. Light freckles are sprinkled across her nose and cheeks, along with two braids that hung off her shoulders. What could be wrong with her? Piper wondered in curiosity and suspicion.

Almost as if reading her mind, Luke exclaims, "she's a former drug addict." Katie mellowed down, giving Piper a sorry-you-had-to-hear-that-look.

"Then there's the di Angelos." Luke pointed toward the two emo looking kids in the corner of the lunch table. "Bianca and Nico. There cutters." Piper gives them a small smile, but they just glare at her in return. There both skinny- not slim enough to be anorexic- but skinny enough to raise a few eyebrows. There also a sickly pale, so white, it was almost like they had never seen daylight or sunshine before.

Maybe this place is the reason.

Piper gives a small shiver at her own horrific thoughts and narrows her turquoise eyes in return. Not from anger, but from dominance. She wouldn't, no she couldn't, let this place take over her. She still wanted to be herself, and no mental hospital would take away who she was or what she wanted to be.

Though, her anorexia did that. It controlled her, like she was a puppet to a string. Now, here, at least the monsters voices were numbed out. She could eat without throwing up as much, and she felt a tad bit better about herself. Not a lot, but a start.

Still, she hated the medication. She despised the gossip that was surely going around at school and in the papers/magazines. Piper could practically see the headlines now: **Tristan Mclean's Daughter Insane?** Her father was discreet and very good at making sure secrets stay secrets, but still, could he honestly keep this under lock and key? All it takes is one person to know, a spark, and then a few more sparks lead on to a fully fledged fire.

Luke waved a hand in front of her face, sending her yet another crooked grin. "Hello? Piper? Are you with us?" She jolted in her seat, but nodded slowly. "Look, I know this place sucks. It gets better, though. And we got your back, right guys?"

Silena nodded, defiantly. "Totally! Piper, you are going to fit in perfectly here." The corners of her lips pulled up, patting Piper's thin arm with her own skinny one.

Piper frowned, bothered by her words. What did she mean by fit in here?

She shrugged mentally, deciding that she didn't care. It was simply just irrelevant to her situation. She took a sip of her water, giving herself a silent welcome.

Welcome to Sunny Hills.

**_~Tell my love to wreck it all, cut out all the ropes and let me fall. "__  
__My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my...__  
__right in the moment this orders tall~_**

Piper hopes that Jason doesn't come to see her. It would be much too painful to see him again, and yet- she wants him here. She wants to scream at him, be absolutely furious for compromising her vital secret. But she knows that she would never do that.

She loves him, and some mental hospital isn't going to change that.

But still, Piper's so angry with him! She wants to punch him in the face, smash a plate over his head. She's angry, and lonely, and...betrayed.

Was that the right word? Betrayed? He only did this to protect her, therefore breaking her trust.

Did he truly betray her? She sighs, drowning out the noisy chatter of the Sunshiners (what they call the patients) and allowing herself to delve deep into her thoughts.

"Piper Mclean?" The voice sounds disoriented, almost like her head is underwater. She turns around though, facing a women in a orange suit. "Hello, Ms. Mclean. Chiron will see you now." She scowls immediately, and Silena gives her a sympathetic look.

Then, puzzlement settles in, replacing her annoyance.

"Who's Chiron?"

The women gives her a tight, weary smile and Piper can tell that her patience is running low.

"Chiron's the therapist and the psychiatrist."

Piper gives the women another look. "Then why does he need to see me?" The look of irritation on her face is a dead giveaway that's she's skating on thin ice. Thankfully, Katie Gardner chirps in.

"Chiron has meetings with everyone on their first day."

"But," she turns back to the lady with pleading turquoise eyes. "It's lunch!" The orange suit gives her empty tray a lingering look, then rolls her eyes at the stick-thin teenage girl.

"I don't see anything on your tray. Now, come on!" She grabs her bony arm, not at all gentle like and practically drags her out of Piper's chair. She glances back at her previous table, and sees Silena give her a tiny wave. She doesn't have time to wave back, because she's being shoved out the door and into a large corridor that leads to a hallway. Piper reads on the women's shirt; **Mrs. Dodds**.

"Um, Mrs. Dodds, not to be rude or anything but could you-" she gestures toward her tightly grasped arm. Mrs. Dodds is gripping it so tightly that her flesh is turning from a bronze to a bony, snowy white. The lights flicker overhead, and Piper flinches, almost jumping if it hadn't been from the human interaction of Mrs. Dodds. She's been so jumpy lately, almost like she expects Jason to come out of nowhere. But it's not a nervous kind of anxiety. It's full of longing and bitter sweetness so, that it cuts her deep down, making it unbearable to even remotely relax.

Mrs. Dodds coughs, snapping Piper out of her allusive trance. "Here we are. Enjoy your stay, Ms. Mclean." She releases her arm, and Piper resists the urge to breathe a sigh of relief. Mrs. Dodds prescience was humane, but it wasn't necessarily a positive one.

Mrs. Dodds pushes the door open, but not before she typed in a password on the silver pad right beside the door. Piper's eyes widen in a mixture of shock and surprise, her brightly lit turquoise eyes flickering to a deep shade of dark blue. Why couldn't her father put her in a hospitals where there's only anorexics?

She sighs, blowing a piece of her brunette hair that now resembled a birds nest. She hadn't had time to comb through her hair, and play around with it like Piper usually had time to do.

She had been way too busy trying to convince Rachel that there was _NOT_ green mist filling up the room and suffocating her.

The door swung open and she was faced by a wise looking man in a wheelchair, a brown beard with tints of grey in it, and soft, kind brown eyes. Very much like Leo's, only his held a wiseness that read: I have seen things people have never dreamt of seeing. Which might very well be true, considering where he worked.

Piper suddenly felt nervous and glanced behind her, only to find Mrs. Dodds completely gone, almost like she had disappeared into thin air. The man named Chiron chuckled, and Piper gave him a strained, weak smile.

"Ah, she does that often. Quiet as a mouse, I'll assure you." The laughter ceased, but his warm smile remained. "Come, come in. You're Tristan's daughter, Piper, yes?"

Piper cleared her throat, shaking his hand. "Yes...I would say it's nice to meet you, but frankly it's not." Chiron nodded almost in understanding.

"Indeed. This must be overwhelming for you." An airy laugh escaped her lips and she nodded slowly. "Well, have a seat." Piper couldn't place the feeling, but she felt conferrable with Chiron. He seemed to take all the tension away, and make things seem like it was just a casual outing.

"You're father wants all of this behind us by the Summer." Piper winced. Summer hadn't even started yet. It was only April and that left her three months, which wasn't exactly comforting. "Or longer. Or sooner. It all depends on you." Piper nods again, feeling a tad like a robot. The thought made her think of Leo, her best friend, which sent her a terrible feeling of homesickness. He used to play with mechanical robots when they were kids...

"Usually, I don't like to jump into the water straight away. I like to take it one. Step. At. A. Time. Do you understand my metaphor?"

"Yes." She clearly understood it, but she supposes that some patients weren't as...around the bend as her.

Chiron gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, before wheeling around to his desk. "Now, I like to talk about fun things before we get into the hard parts of therapy. I'll let you choose the topic. What do you want to talk about? It could be books, movies, home life, friends, school..."

Piper shrugged, avoiding his gaze, hugging her arms. She hated talking to people about her problems, even if it was just casual conversation at first. She knew what it would lead to, and she just wasn't ready for that. Despite the fact that she wanted to leave here as soon as possible.

Chiron tapped his pencil on his notes, flipping through them for a moment. "We have to talk about something, Piper. It's your father's wishes."

Piper's jaw set and under her breath she muttered, "he even wants to control my life at a mental hospital." Apparently Chiron caught that because he arched an eyebrow.

"I believe we found something to talk about." Glancing up sheepishly, Piper's cheeks began to flush with a crimson color. "Tell me Piper, how does your father control your life?"

Another shrug.

He sent her a warning glance. "Piper..."

She huffed, giving up. "Fine." She crossed her legs, getting into a more suited position before explaining. "He just controls what I do all the time! He makes all my decisions and choices for me! When my friends ask me to do a banner for Art Club, he tells his assistant to find an artist to do it for me! It's so unfair and he never even asks me what I want in life. He just does what he thinks is best for me, and I thank him for that, but I think I have the right to live my life!" Her face is redder at the end, and the ends of her hair are twining up with frizz. She exhaled, realizing that she had practically said a speech and hadn't taken a breath once. It felt like for once...someone was actually listening.

"And that's all?"

Piper chewed on her lip. Those sentences had unlocked something deep inside of her, like a key fitting into another door, another problem that needed to be resolved.

"I guess it's not just my dad. It's other people, too. It feels like I'm screaming and no one can even hear me. No one except...Jas- me. No one except me." Chiron gives her a peculiar look at her last sentence, unconfirmed. But a few seconds tick by and a proud expression forms.

"Piper?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you think you started being anorexic? Caring about what you looked like, making yourself throw up." Piper's eyebrows curled together in puzzlement. She racked her brain, trying to remember a memory that just kept slipping out of her reach. Truth was, she never put much thought into it. The only thoughts on her mind were; she was making herself throw up because of her looks.

"I don't-I don't know." Chiron gives her a meaningful look, like he's testing her to see if she's lying or not. "I mean, I can't remember."

"Think hard. About your past. Memories. Anything that links you to the first time you made yourself puke. The first hesitation. The first time you doubted yourself. Anything in this scenario would be helpful."

Piper shivered, only this time, it wasn't from the blasting air conditioning. She didn't want to unlock the door. She most certainly didn't want to see her darkest times. She had blocked the memories out for a reason. A reason that she didn't know, but she knew herself. If Piper had _wanted_ to forget the memories, she wouldn't have _wanted_ to see them again.

Almost as if reading her mind, Chiron asked, "did you block them out?"

Piper nods curtly, slowly. "Yes. I think so."

There was a silence to the room, and Chiron looked up at his bookshelves thoughtfully. "Piper? Have you ever considered hypnosis before?" Piper's eyes flicker up, as something stirs in her mind.

_"I'm telling you darling, getting hypnotized was one of the most relaxing things ever!" High heels, stomping around. Clinking to the newly waxed floor. Piper, a toddler, crouched underneath the large, dining room table._

_"Does it make you relaxed enough to forget about your own daughter?" A deep voice growled._

_"Calm down. She was only home for like, what, an hour?"_

_"The entire day," his voice sounds like it's restrained from saying something he might regret. "The entire damn day." _

_"Oh well. She told me that she wants to be a big girl. What better way to start?"_

_Objects getting knocked off shelves. Screams of anger. Yells._

_Fighting. _

"Piper?" He snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. "Are you alright?"

Piper shakes her head in disbelief, her rats nest hitting the side of her cheeks. What had just happened? "Yes. I'm fine."

Looking unconvinced Chiron's eyebrows furrowed, but he didn't pursue the matter. Instead he repeated, "I asked you if you would be willing to try hypnosis to remember."

Piper didn't respond, just staring at the furnished floor, her eyes seeming to be a million miles away, like in a different world.

"Piper?"

"Yes, fine. I'll be willing to do anything to get out of this nut house." Another skeptical, disapproving look was sent her way, but Piper ignored it. It had only been around ten-fifteen minutes of therapy, and already Piper felt too emotionally exhausted to care.

"Okay," he said, wheeling away from the desk. She wanted to offer to help, but she had never really associated with a, with a...cripple. It wasn't like she was against them, but more that she had never met one officially. So she settled with sitting there, her bronze hands clenched tightly into two balls at her sides.

"You can lay down, now. Or if you prefer to remain upwards..." he gestured towards the couch, before wheeling to the closet on the other side of the room. She heard a click of a button and soft, calming, music full of tranquility and peacefulness began to fill the room.

Piper leant down on the couch, her back relaxing against the plush, soft cousin.

"Now Piper, I want you to remember that you are in a safe place. You are here with me. You are not in the memory, do you understand?"

Anxiety began to form in her stomach and she bit back tears of fear. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all...

"Yes," she breathed out, her voice remaining neutral.

"I want you to count down from ten with me, in your mental state, eyes closed."

"Ten. You're becoming relaxed."

Piper squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to relax.

"Nine. You come to multiple roads. Some are shimmering brightly, some are black as night. Can you see them?" Piper nodded faintly, trying her best to imagine the roads in her head.

_Hundreds of roads stood in front of her, and if it wasn't for the emotions flickering off each one, she would have felt overwhelmed and frustrated. She took a step towards the brightly lit one... then paused. It was so tempting. She could just go onward to her happy memories full of warmth. She heard Chiron's voice break through._

"Eight. Walk down the darkest one. Walk down the one that you want to go farthest away from."

_Piper cringed, her eyes glazing amongst the roads. They were so covered by trees, you couldn't see where they led. But you could see the colors. Reds, blues, yellows, black, brown. And white. So bright, that it took all of her willpower not to go rushing towards it. _

_She felt something tug in her gut as she stared at the one that she couldn't see past at all. Piper only saw the outline of the road. The rest of it- was completely black. That was the one. The one that she wanted to flee from. But she couldn't. She had to do this, if she even wanted a remote chance at getting better. Slowly, hesitantly her feet walked straight into it, until she was completely covered in darkness. _

"Are you walking down it?"

"Yes." Her voice sounded like mush.

"Seven. Now, I want you to stand still. Remain on that road. Now, I want you to imagine a door to the right of you."

_Slowly, but surely, a door formed. It was a large brown door. Piper's eyes widened. It was the door to her bathroom._

Everything was becoming foggy. She could barely hear Chiron's distinctive voice anymore. "Six. This is the easy part. I want you to remember every positive memory you ever had."

_Her father giving her an Eskimo kiss, spinning her around in a circle. Leo and Hazel's first kiss (thanks to her), Annabeth, Thalia and Piper at their first sleepover. Leo giving her a noogie. Frank, dancing with Piper, being the total klutz that he was. Tristan letting her act with him on a real stage, dancing and spinning, eating food without getting sick. Watching the Notebook with Percy and laughing when he began to get tears in his eyes. Then there was Jason. His pinky swear. His blue eyes. His blonde tuffs of hair. His favorite color-purple. Jason's talks at lunch, dancing with Jason at the prom. Singing, laughing. Blue in his eyes. Jason. Jason. Jason. Jason. Jason. Jason. Jason. Jason. Jason._

"Five. The door is becoming clearer now. You can see more details to it." _The trees on the road began to dispatch, disappearing completely. Then, there was a white wall forming in their place. The door sank into it, the knob having an old fashioned Greek word written on it._

_περιστέρι__. _

_Dove. _

"Four. I want you to reach out and run your hands along something that gives you more comfort on the door. It could be a window ledge, or a doorknob. Anything that gives you a sense of peace."

_Piper's bronze, tan hand reached out and like gossamer, ran her thumb along the Greek word Dove. She had seen the Greek on her own bathroom door far too many times. Piper had always assumed that it meant 'bathroom' or 'restroom' in Greek tongue. But no, it meant Dove, and it took Piper this long to realize it. _

_Over and over she gently ran her fingertips across it, until the crashing waves in her stomach formed into an abrupt stillness. _

"Three. Remember everything about your past. Anything that you can recall from your childhood years."

_A women. A women with plush, red lips much like her own. Her scarlet red high heels, her long silky, bleach blonde hair. Her turquoise eyes like hers. Fair skin, with no blemishes whatsoever. Designer clothing. A forced smile on her face, the look of disgust obliviously in her eyes. _

_Aphrodite._

Piper's heart began to pound faster, her arms beginning to tremble. It was Aphrodite. Her mother.

Her father had told her that her mother had died during childbirth. Somehow, deep in her heart, she knew that what he said wasn't the truth. But, she had believed it up until now.

Tristan had never shown Piper any pictures of her mother.

So how did Piper know what she looked like?

"Two. Wrap your hand around the doorknob, or place your hand on the door. Be prepared to open it."

Piper shook her head, eyes still remaining shut. She could feel tears pricking in her eyes. "I can't." Somehow she knew that she wouldn't like what was behind the door.

"You can, Piper. You can do this."

_The words etched Piper onwards, so her hand was securely wrapped around it. She couldn't push the door open, but Chiron's words were so encouraging that she considered it. She braced herself for what was to come next. _

A tear escaped her shut eyes and cascaded down her cheek.

"One. Open the door."

_She opened the door._

_A bright, blinding light flashed in front of her as she stepped into the room. Confused and overwhelmed- she held up her hand in front of her face to reject the blinding sunlight. Her hand only came down when she realized that it was a lamp shining bright._

_She was in her living room._

_Two pairs of feet came rushing down the expensive stairs, past the marble statues. Awkward, hesitant legs. The eight year olds face was perfect. She had just enough meat on her bones to be called not fat, but not skinny either. The child's weight was perfect. Her brunette hair was long, and her bangs fell breathlessly into her eyes. Her eyes were a bright turquoise color, but they seemed to be flickering into different shades of violet and blue._

_It was like Piper was watching a movie. She knew the little girl was her, but she wasn't in her body. She was standing a few feet away from her, seeing her like she was a completely different person._

_"Mommy!" Then, bright red high heels came into the room. A cell phone was in her hand as Aphrodite-Piper's mother- continued to ramble on._

_"I know," Aphrodite said, blowing on her freshly red fingernails. "Those shoes were to die for!" _

_Piper cringed at her choice of words._

_"Mommy!" The little version of Piper repeated, stumbling a bit, holding up a crayon drawing of herself and Aphrodite. Doves were in the background, but they looked more like checkmarks. Piper winced again. She could feel the pain radiating off of herself, seeing how distant her mother truly was. "I drew you a picture! See? Look, mommy! Look!"_

_Aphrodite gave a smile to the girl, reaching out to pinch little Piper's cheek. "It's beautiful, dear. Now, run along. I'm busy." Little Piper frowned, disappointment flashing in her newly dark eyes. Piper knew that she had expected that to go differently. Still shell-shocked, all she could do was watch as the eight year old handed her mother the picture, before skipping merrily away. _

_Even at a young age, she was pulling off a facade. _

_As little Piper exited the room, Aphrodite set the picture to the side, not even giving it a second glance. Piper's hands balled into fists at her side. How dare she? How dare that women that call's herself her mother just wave her child off as if she was an actress getting called off and called on for different scenes?_

_A few minutes went past, the clock ticking in the background. _

"Piper? Are you still with me?" It took her a few minutes to realize that she was indeed only on a couch, remembering. Her tightly clenched jaw slowly relaxed.

"Yes," she replied, her voice sounding as if she had just ran a mile. "I'm here."

_The scene shifted to the dinner table. The two women sat at the table, tiny Piper digging into the chicken. Aphrodite stiffened, picking at her salad._

_"You know, dear, you shouldn't eat so much food. In fact, you should become a vegetarian, like me." _

_Piper's scowl deepened. Was this the true reason that she was a vegetarian now?_

_Little Piper frowned, pushing her plate full of chicken away. Her eyes flickered down to the table in shame. _

_Aphrodite rolled her blue eyes. "Don't pout, dear. It causes wrinkles."_

_"Sorry, mom." Her voice was cold and she gave Aphrodite a look of adult conception, so intimidating that it made Piper tremble. Aphrodite, however, remained unfazed. "I didn't mean to."_

_Aphrodite sent her a weak smile. "It's quite alright, dear." Then, changing the subject, she continued, "how much do you weigh this week?" _

_"Sixty pounds." Piper stared in wonder as her own mother stood, her face twisting in outrage. Little Piper was expecting this, and didn't bother to lie, knowing that it only made it worse._

_"Sixty pounds!" She shouted, rubbing her temples like she was going to faint. "Sixty pounds? You're getting fat. I won't allow it." Her eyes narrowed in on her daughter. "Stand up!"_

_Little Piper's eyes widened in shock and so did Piper of the present. What was she going to do?_

_"I said stand!" Trembling ever so slightly, she stood up from her chair. Her eyes were glassy as she did so, smoothing out her light pink dress. "Go upstairs to the bathroom."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because, dear." Aphrodite's red face had soothed now, returning to its milky white feature. "I know a trick that will make you stay skinny forever."_

_"Really? Do you mean it mother?"_

_She sent miniature Piper a dazzling smile. "I mean it."_

_"What do I have to do?"_

_"Stick your finger down your throat." _

**_~And I told you to be patient, I told you to be kind.__  
__In the morning I'll be with you... but if will be a different kind.__  
__'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets and you'll be owning the fines~_**

It was all too much. Piper's eyes flashed open, and Chiron was immediately alert. Gasping for breath like she had been underwater all this time, she struggled to remain collected. But, she couldn't stop the fresh tears that now were escaping her eyes.

"It was, it was-" she coughed, making a choking noise. "It was her!" A look of pure disgust formed across her face, much more repulsive than the look Aphrodite had made. That horrid women! Her own mother had done this to her? Her own mother did all of this? She held up her bony hand to examine it.

Piper wasn't fat. Not nearly.

She was so skinny it made her want to revolt. How could she be so blind all this time? How could she not see it? She had been so ignorant to everything!

Still, it didn't make her critics away, nor the fact that she was anorexic. But, at least now she could see clearly. It was like waking up from a dream- a dream that she had been asleep seemingly forever.

Chiron handed her a glass of water, and Piper took it eagerly. "Who is this 'her,' Piper?" Piper pressed the cup to her lips, taking a deep, long drink.

"My mother, Aphrodite." Chiron's face looked puzzled, but Piper waved his questions away. She had to think this through. It wasn't her mother's entire fault, it was also her own. It was her responsibility, even though her mother had started all of this.

Her mother had started it, but she was going to end it.

A determined grin spread across her face. She was going to live. She was going to eat. It may take days to get over this disorder, but she was going to try.

"Piper?"

"Yes?"

"This is progress."

She couldn't help but smile herself. This was progress, wasn't it?

And she had to admit, this place was already growing on her.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Chiron gazes at the clock. "I think our time is about over, Piper." He then handed her a sucker. She doesn't even protest at the idea of eating something, because she felt accomplished. And happy for once in her life. Productive, even. It feels like she's actually making progress and it makes her...elated. She feels like she needs a reward, almost. Piper gives Chiron a warm smile before taking the purple lollipop and exiting the room.

Rachel's outside the door, as Piper closes it- her green eyes shimmering bright.

"Hey, Rachel."

She doesn't respond. Just stares at her- eyes wider than ever. Piper sighs in realization and disclosure. Rachel Elizabeth Dare looked like she was about to have one of her fits, and something told her that this would be worse than the one this morning.

Slowly, almost cautious like, her freckled hand reached out and rests on Piper's shoulder. She tries to back away, but there's only a wall. No way out.

Her eyes shimmer, glittering almost. She doesn't say anything, and Piper does everything she can to break her intense gaze with her own. Look over her shoulder, at the floor, at the door, the wall- just not those green eyes that appeared to be following her everywhere.

Then, Rachel whispered something.

"Skinny Love."

"Skinny Love."

"Skinny Love."

And Piper didn't have to look at Rachel to know what voices were coming out of the red heads mouth.

The monsters.

They were back.

Blackness swept across her eyes, in large wings of darkness. The hallway seemed to be spinning. Around and around.

Piper stumbled backward, breaking Rachel's grip.

Then, she was back in the dream again. Two hands were clasped in hers, tugging her back and forth. She couldn't see who was tugging her, she only acknowledged the fact that she had to get away.

Then, the children's high pitched voices were back in her head; _"Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posy. Ashes to ashes, we all fall down." _ Their voices sounded enchanting, but Piper remembered the end of the dream.

They would push her into the flames.

Blue eyes appeared in her mind, Jason's.

Brown eyes. Reyna.

The two of them kissing.

Being tugged back and forth.

Flames.

Fire.

Puking.

Vomit.

Red lipstick.

High heels.

Chicken.

Vegetables.

Thrashing.

Falling down.

Stumbling.

Green mist.

Lies.

Shouts.

Food.

The monsters.

Blue eyes.

Blonde hair.

Jason.

Darkness.

There was nothing but utter darkness as Piper collapsed to the floor.

**_~Come on skinny love what happened here?__  
__Suckle on the hope in the light brassiere.__  
_**_**My, my, my, my, my, my. Sudden low is full so on the split.~** _

* * *

**A/N: I am so SORRY for the long wait. Things have been very hectic lately with my camps. I am also so disappointed with myself and this chapter. It was fun to write, but it just didn't give me the same vibe it gave me in the last chapters. It also was harder to write. And yet here I am, 6,000 plus words later. **

**I am happy to say that we have one more chapter after this one, so stay tuned! Also thank you to everyone that has reviewed, read, favorited, or followed this story! Meant a bunch! **

**Who's excited for Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters? I am! Going to go see it tomorrow. ;)**

**More stories by me:**

**Unfinished Stories- "Annabeth Chase didn't think she was crazy, but when it came to a certain green eyed boy... she thought she was going completely and utterly insane." A collection of unfinished one-shots or short stories I have yet to finish. Most are Percabeth, but some include other couples as well such as Jeyna/Jasper/Lazel etc. Vote on the unfinished stories that you think I should continue! Rated K-T because there's a lot of them. R&R!**  
**The Butterfly Effect- Love. Sorrow. Remorse. Lies. "She screams until she's blue in the face. She screams and screams and screams yes. But she knows it's too late. The war has began, and now there's no going back." Anger. Regret, but most importantly betrayal. Set in Mockingjay, with the biggest twist ever imaginable. Rated T/M. Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Madge.**  
**Guilt-"Because in the end Annabeth decided that it's the guilt that is the worst." The aftermath of Tarturas, Annabeth and Percy have to deal with the heavy guilt that easily overpasses the burden of the sky. Rated T for torture, suicide, angst. Percabeth.**  
**Let The Fear In-"The fear was real. And I knew I had to deal with it. So I just made a choice. I'd let the fear in, let it take over, let it do its thing, but only for five seconds, that's all I was going to give it. So I started to count: one, two, three, four, five. Then it was gone." The fear was controlling her, as the car sat underwater. Then she thought- Jason. She had to save him. Somehow.**  
**The Little Mockingjay-"On the last moment, I rub the pin back and forth in between my fingertips feeling the warmth from it. The warmth from the little Mockingjay." Prim's perspective during the reaping, with a kiss on the cheek, comfort, and her thoughts about the capitol and the little glass bowl full of slips, she despises. Rated T for Angst and depressing words.**  
**Love- "Do you love, Annabeth?" Tyson questioned, as I spit out my drink. "What?" Tyson asks Percy if he loves Annabeth, and other very personal questions about their relationships. Set in TBOL, One-shot.**  
**It Was Her-After Beckendorf's death, Percy and Annabeth have a meaningful talk about his death, the prophecy, the war and about a certain red-head. "It wasn't your fault." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "You don't have to be jealous of her." One shot.**  
**Eternal Flame Prologue: A one shot/prologue to the new Percy Jackson fanfic Eternal Flame. Review and let me know if I should continue this or change the prologue. R&R**  
**All's Fair in Love and War-"Wait," Rachel said backtracking. "Did you just call me a hooker?" Octavian looked confused as she leaned up against the statue of Jupiter and giggled." He hated her. He despised her. So why was he finding it so hard not to stare into those green eyes of hers? She hated him. She despised him. Yet for some reason, he amused her to no end**  
**Tears of Glass- "How would her gravestone get here? It was impossible, because her whole family was...dead. Yet here it stood in the middle of a graveyard." Katherine reflects on her past, and all her mistakes. She also remembers all the times that she, the Katherine Peirce, cried. "Because it hurt. And feeling the shards of glass escape from her eyes, somehow made it all better." Rated T.**


	6. Now Is The Start: Part One

**_~Sudden load is full so slow on the split__  
__And I told you to be patient and I told you to be fine.__  
__And I told you to be balanced and I told you to be kind.__  
__Now all your love is wasted and where the hell was I?__  
__'Cause now I'm breaking at the britches, and at the end of all your lines.~_**

**PIPER:**

"She's going to be okay, right?"

"I don't know, smarts. Now, shut up already! This is the fifth time you've asked."

"I'm just worried, Thals."

"I know that. But, you heard the doctor. When Piper's ready to wake up, she will."

"I just don't understand how this can happen. Do you think she'll be okay?"

"..."

"Don't give me that look, Thalia. You know it scares the crap out of me."

"Then stop talking!"

"Yeah, Sparky. Calm down. Piper's fine, see?"

"Leo?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up!"

"Ouch. That one hurt me 'Jason's hot sister'."

"Will you two quiet down?"

" Of course honey bunches."

"That's what I thought, Valdez."

"You are so whipped, Leo."

"Like you aren't, Grace."

"I'm with Reyna."

"Uh-huh. How long do you think you're going to keep denying it?"

"You guys aren't helping. If you really want to help Piper, we should be in a nice calm mood. This tension will just stress her."

"Yeah. You're right, Annabeth."

"I'm always right, Jason. Remember that."

"Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you even hear what I just said?"

"'Course I did."

"So, you think that blaring music from a video game will help?"

"..."

"Piper likes video games."

"..."

"I mean of course I'll turn this off, Wise Girl."

"You are so unbelievable!"

"Alright. I'm going to make a coffee run before this turns into a full- fledged war."

"Frank, you don't have to do that."

"Trust me, I want to. The usual for everyone?"

"Yeah. You might want to get one for Piper unless she wakes up or something."

"Good idea, Annabeth. Be back in a flash."

"I'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world. So fantastic, my boobs are plastic. You can brush my hair and fuc-"

"LEO!"

"What?"

"Language!"

"Oh please, Pinecone face. You say much more than that."

"...you told Leo the nickname, Jackson?"

"Yup. Oh, and how you got it."

"Yeah, I heard you smashed face first into a pine tree."

"Control Leo, Jason. Before I rip his head off."

"Oh, yes. Because I'm sure this is helpful for Piper's sake."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"That's what I thought."

"Piper looks paler than usual. Is the doctor sure she's okay? Maybe we should call him in here, just in case."

"You know what? I give up."

"Seriously, guys. Does she look okay?"

"..."

"Guys?"

. . .

Piper grunts in pain. Images and flashbacks keeps flashing through her head, continuing, going faster and faster throughout each one. Everything burns. Hurts.

"_Everything's going to be okay, Piper." Rachel's voice._ _"We just have to get you to one of the workers. Then, to the ambulance. You'll be okay. Just keep your eyes open."_

_A masculine voice. "What's going on?"_

_"It's Piper- she just passed out!" She was hysterical now, barely holding my head up. Piper's eyelids were slipping. Piper...she was tired. Exhausted. When was the last time she slept? A day? A week? A month? A year? She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember anything._

_Nothing, except for blue eyes._

_"I'm tired," she says, but Chiron and Rachel pay no attention. That's when she realizes that no sound is coming from her plush, cracked lips. _

_"Keep her awake. Piper, can you hear me?" Chiron. Was she in therapy again? Another hypnosis session?_

_She tries to shake her head, but it's like she's paralyzed. Stuck in her own body. Trapped. Forever, perhaps. _

_"Get help, Rachel." He pauses. " NOW!" Mr. Brunner shouts at the mental patient when she remains frozen in place. _

_Rachel's voice sounded disoriented, deep, not at all like her high pitched regular voice. She feels lips press to her forehead. "I'll be right back, Piper."_

_She's trembling now. Shaking as if her life depends on it. Which, she guesses it does. _

_Someone grabbing her, lifting her up bridle style. She's too fatigued to care about embarrassment. Her hair is continually falling in front of her olive face messily. She wants to tell whoever it is to brush it away, it's irritating her. She can't find the words, and when she does, she's already being pushed on a stretcher._

_She blinks, her eyes flickering open for a moment. The lights on the ceiling shine down brightly on her, making her temples thump harder. _

_She lets out a whimper, but again it's silent. _

_"You're going to die," the monsters whisper. "Piper Mclean is going to die." They sing it in a happy tune, like they're lifelong dream has been fulfilled._

_If I'm going to die, she thinks bluntly, you're coming down with me._

_"Fine. See you in hell." They speak the words with amusement. She's sweating now, her fingertips feel clammy and pale. Something is pressed over her head and onto her mouth. She panics. What was going on? Her breathing quickens, and she commands- no begs- her hands to rip the device off. She hesitates. Already, it was becoming easier to breath._

_"Piper?" The monsters ask._

_What, she thinks back tiredly._

_"You're going to die."_

_Something stabs into her arm. _

_More pain. _

_Ba-beep. Ba-beep. Ba-beep. Ba-beep._

_"Maybe." This times she speaks the words to them, and it comes out as a whisper. "What did I do to make all of you hate me so much?"_

_"We could never hate you, Piper," they cackle cruelly. "Because we are you."_

_She shuts her eyes, maybe, for the very last time. _

_**~ Who will love you?  
Who will fight?  
And who will fall, far behind?~**_

Piper Elizabeth Mclean wakes up in a daze. She didn't know where she was, she didn't even recognize it in the least. She looked around, slightly panicking, taking in each new sight. Her violet eyes suddenly were turquoise, as she analyzed the window. There was a machine keeping a steady, comforting beep directly next to her cot. There was a tube tucked into the back of her hand leading to a bag of fluid hanging above her. She winces. What had happened?

Everything aches. She expects it to hurt more, but it doesn't. She feels numb. Maybe painkillers? That would be most likely.

The last remains of her confusing, muddled, terrifying dream was beginning to disappear with each moment of awakening. Piper bit her lip, refusing the temptation to lie back and fall asleep again. She was still tired. But, not tired enough for sleep.

The bed was hard, stiff, like a bulgy rock. She hardly noticed though, because of the sheet that was tucked around her. She let out a deep breath, and noticed that her hair was braided. When did that happen?

More importantly, where was she?

All thoughts led to a hospital, but how? How could she be in a hospital? All she remembered was the hypnosis/therapy session with Chiron, discovering the truth behind her anorexia. Leaving. Seeing Rachel. Then...darkness and things that don't make a lick of sense.

Her lips pull into a seemingly permanent frown, as she sits up. Her body seemed to be protesting, but she leans forward, sitting upward. It clears her head a bit.

"Well, good morning to you," A cheerful, soothing voice said. Still disoriented, Piper flinched in surprise and turned my head quickly, to see a nurse sitting on the edge of my bed. "It took you long enough to wake up."

She struggled with contemplating what was happening. "How...long? What happened?" The nurse named 'Sally Jackson'. Familiarity replaced the confusion. Percy's mother...how?

Sally gets up, her black, long hair in waves, like streamers. Her gentle blue eyes turn into concern, as she pulls open the shade to the window open. Sunlight shines through. "You've been out for three days."

Three?

She expects the monsters to jump in, but they never do, surprising her completely.

Three days.

Three days stolen from her.

"Turns out not eating really took a toll on you." Piper smiled weakly. She had never passed out because of her anorexia before. And now she had. The thought was...unsettling. "Plus, you had an allergic reaction to the pills that they offer that Camp Half Blood facility. It's a miracle you're father didn't sue the place."

Piper gave Mrs. Jackson a strained, forced smile, trying not to bombard her with questions. She was still half asleep...she didn't know if she was dreaming still.

"Oh. I can't remember. Where is my dad anyway?"

Sally gave her a sympathetic look, tugging on her braid gently. Piper had known Mrs. Jackson- or Sally, as she forced Piper to call her- since she was fourteen years old.

"It's going to be okay, Piper," she says. "And you're dad... he's at an important meeting. One that he couldn't miss. He sends his apologies."

She bites her lip. Her father was distant, but distant enough not to visit her in the hospital? She glances at Sally, noticing how she's still analyzing for a response.

Piper nods numbly, then she glances to the side of her. A couch is there. And on the couch was a sleeping...Jason Jupiter Grace. Her heart practically leapt in her throat. Did she look okay? Was her hair a rats nest? Hopefully not, but probably so. How long had he been there?

Sally gave her a knowing smile, chuckling. Almost like she read Piper's mind she exclaims, "he's been here the moment you were put into the bed. Stayed, too. Never went home. He really cares about you, Piper. Worried sick, too."

She felt a rosy blush spread to her cheeks, a pleased smile forming on her face. Did he really stay in the hospital for three days? Just for her? The thought made her happier than she'd ever admit. But, her smile faded as her thoughts drifted back to the previous memories. He told her father...

"Don't beat him up so much, Piper. He was only doing what he thought was best for you." Okay, now Piper's starting to wonder if she really is a mind reader. Sally pinches her cheek motherly. "Are you hungry?"

She can barely nod, but as soon as she does, Sally exits the room.

Leaving her and Jason alone. In a room.

With a bed.

No! She scolds herself. Bad, bad Piper.

She nestles back down, so that she's facing Jason, her violet/turquoise eyes watching him. She's never really _looked_ at Jason. She means, really looked.

She could see everything now. The scar on his upper lip went a little farther for comfort. With his eyelids closed and his face relaxed... he looked like the little boy that she had befriended all those years ago. His eyelashes are long and thick, his lip pulled out a little further than usual for sleep. There's a crease on his forehead, his eyebrows smoothed together with worry and concern.

Piper's smile fades. She hadn't meant for Jason to be so worried about her. Even though she was glad he was here, she felt guilty that he had been so concerned for her well being.

Suddenly, his eyelids disappear, replaced by wise, blue ones.

She blushes, trying to tear her gaze away as he wakes up. Too late. He notices her intense gaze and returns it.

"You're awake!" She feels something squeeze her heart when she notices the dark lines under his eyes. He gets up, seemingly ignoring his fatigue or the fact that he just woke up. "God, Piper, I was so worried. Don't you _ever_ do that to me again." He brushed her messy hair back, and her heart began to pound irregularly.

The hand that had been resting on top of her frizzy, brunette tufts slid down and cupped her chin, bringing her eyes to meet his light blue ones.

"Piper," he breathed, his thumb resting on her chin. "I-"

The door clicks open, and they pull away so quickly it seems unreal. Both their faces are red, and Sally blushes in spite.

"Oh, I'm sorry," that knowing smile is back. "Am I interrupting something?"

"NO!" Piper stammers at the exact same time Jason does, causing them to blush harder.

Sally smiles at the two, and Piper coughs awkwardly.

"Breakfast?" She held out a tray to her, that was filled with a variety of food. Toast with marmalade spread across the top. Also, light yellow eggs were resting on the other side of the plate, with a cup of orange juice. Her nose scrunches together. She had completely forgotten about her anorexia. Why had she said that she wanted food? She stiffened, as her mother's stick thin image popped into her mind. No, she was going to eat. For herself. She wasn't going to starve herself for her mother anymore.

"Jason? Can you watch Piper for me? I'm going to call Percy and the other's and tell them that Piper is awake."

There's a mischievous glint in his eye, one that seems out of character for him. Piper tries desperately to keep her blush away...but that face...

"I'd be more than happy too."

"Okay. No funny business you two, got it?"

She blushes harder, as a faint fuzz of red appears on Jason's nose. The door shuts.

She eats then, and sees the surprise on Jason Grace's face. Slowly at first. She prays that she won't revolt. She takes nibbles at the toast, and a hesitant drink at the orange juice.

The monsters don't interrupt her once.

He watches her intently, every movement, every bite. She feels subconscious. Was she chewing too loud? Was there crumbs on her chin? Did she have an orange juice mustache? Ever since she woke up she hasn't taken one look in the mirror, and she's desperate to check her image.

Not because of her vain, anorexic side, but because she's a teenage girl and Jason Grace is sitting next to her.

"You ate."

"Yeah. Camp Half Blood did me good." She's not ready to tell him everything, not yet. She's not even sure she can trust him with her secrets again. But, she forgives him. Piper hopes it's enough for him, because it's enough for her.

"Piper. I am so sorry I betrayed you're trust like that. I shouldn't have told you're dad. Not after everything that happened-"

She holds up a hand, signaling for him to stop. "I forgive you, Jason."

"You do?" He asks in disbelief. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," she repeats. "I mean sure, I was pretty pissed at first. But, Jason, I could forgive you for anything. I don't think that I trust you completely, though. But it's a start, right?"

"Thank you, Piper. I couldn't bear it if you hated me forever."

"Well, I don't. I could never hate you Jason." Her voice died down to a whisper.

"Piper, I, well you're my best friend and I...need to tell you something." Her heart leaps, but she restrains it. He has Reyna. He doesn't want her. "Maybe later though, Piper. When you're thinking clearly."

She nods, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. Everything was just so confusing. Everything hurt. And Jason was here...

She squeezed his hand in support as Jason's grip got even tighter. So tight that the tips of Piper's fingers turned white. She didn't mind. "You scared me, Pipes. I thought you were gone. When I got the call from your dad I didn't know what to think. I would die if you weren't here with me."

She placed a hand on his cheek. It felt rugged, like he hadn't shaved in well, three days. "Then I won't go anywhere."

He nodded, his eyes dipping down, looking at the floor.

Stop touching him, Piper, she lectured herself. He's got a girlfriend.

She pulled her hands abruptly away from his, cheeks hot at her actions, but he leaned forward and wrapped his arms tightly and securely around Piper. She immediately returned the foreword embrace, his fingertips digging into her back. It didn't feel painful, though. It made her feel secure. They sat there for what felt like days, or weeks, his arms around her, her arms around him. She rested her head on his shoulder; he let his fingers dance around her collarbone. She shivered at his touch, as he found her soft spot. As he held her in his arms Piper Mclean felt the overwhelming urge to cry. And she did. She clutched tightly to his shoulders, like her life depended on it, and surrendered to the tears welling up in her turquoise eyes.

And cried.

Sobbed, heart wrenching sobs into his shoulder. Her sounds were more painful than the time she had confessed that she cut herself. And she only vaguely recalled that. It seemed a million years ago, compared to the time that she knew of now.

"Hey," He murmured, wiping a stray tear away. "It's going to be okay. I promise." She cringed through tears at his words. This wasn't the first time he had promised something...

He noticed the look on her face, and his lips seemed to already be forming another apology.

"I love you."

Her heart stopped. The machine next to her seemed to beep louder, quicker, and she feels light headed.

"I love you," he repeats over and over again. "IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou."

This had to be a dream. This couldn't be real, could it?

"I've always loved you...I guess I've just been too bullheaded to admit it."

She tries to say something, but she can't find the right words. It's like being stuck in that dream again.

He cups his hands on her heated cheeks, his blue eyes searching her own. "Say something- please?"

"I love you, too." She whispers, barely audible. But he hears her. A smile breaks across Jason's face, as he pulls her face closer. Forget Reyna. Forget the rest of the world. Forget her mom, Aphrodite. Forget her vanity. Forget the monsters. Forget the anorexia.

This is all she needs.

They're lips press against one another's, molding tightly together, like artwork.

The door opens.

_**And there standing there is Reyna, Jason's girlfriend.**_

_**~Come on skinny love...  
My, my, my, my~**_

**Jason:**

Jason couldn't have felt more alive. When he kissed Reyna, he felt...bored. Unentertained. Reyna was his first girlfriend and his only girlfriend, but he was sure that wasn't what kissing was supposed to feel like.

But Reyna was tough, a beautiful girl. All the traits in a girl he wanted. So why was he kissing Piper?

Because she made him feel alive. This is what kissing is supposed to feel like. And also because he loved her.

But, he loved Reyna too.

He had never felt so conflicted in his life. He's a cheater, he thinks, his stomach dropping bitterly. A betrayer. Piper's lips manage to push those dark thoughts away, as his hands slid to her skinny waist. Her hands flew to his shoulders, running through his tangled, blonde hair. They were in a precarious, awkward position, and it was difficult to kiss Piper under all the medical machinery next to them.

Difficult, but not impossible.

He's gentle with her, despite his screaming hormones. She's fragile, skinny. She could break so easily, and Jason doesn't want to take that risk.

He heard the door click open, and pulled away from Piper, expecting a lecture from Sally.

Instead it was Reyna.

They break apart mutually, instantly.

"Reyna?" He manages to stammer, face flushed. She's not supposed to be here. No, she can't be here. She doesn't even remotely like Piper, for reasons that she's never told him. Her face is multiple masks of different emotions. It twists into shock, into sadness, into disbelief, puzzlement, anger. Boiling rage.

"Reyna!" He shouts, pulling himself up out of bed. The door's already closing. He opens it, looking back at Piper Mclean to see her reaction. Her knees are pulled up to her chin like she had been expecting this.

"Hey, I'll be right back. I _promise_." Their eyes lock.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Jason." Is all she says calmly.

Then, he's gone.

"Reyna!" He runs down the hallway of the hospital, ignoring the looks of disapproval from the nurses, interns, and doctors. She's storming down the plain white floor, the look of a warrior who's just going off to battle scrawled across her face.

"Reyna," he tugs on her arm, in an attempt to turn her around.

"Just stay away from me, Jason!"

"You know I can't do that," he says, exasperated at his immature mistake. "Look, I-"

"Remember when I asked you in the cafeteria one if you were in love with Piper?" She scowls, crossing her arms, and he can see tears shimmering in her eyes. "You lied to my face, didn't you?"

He's frozen, shell shocked, remembering how honesty is such an important aspect to Reyna. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"No, of course you didn't!" She yells sarcastically, throwing her arms about. Everyone in the hospital seems to be watching them, a million pairs of eyes analyzing the couples movements. "Jason, what the hell is wrong with you?"

She's beating on his chest now, but her punches are weak, her face tear stricken. "You stupid, stupid, little-" her own sobs cut her off.

"I'm sorry, Reyna." He says quietly, the guilt stirring in his stomach.

"Yeah," she speaks the words hoarsely. "Me too."

"I think it would be best if we take a break," Reyna tries again, gaining her composer back. "No, I think we should break up." Her arms are crossed against her breasts, brown eyes narrowed.

That's the Reyna that Jason knows. A fighter. A survivor. He thinks-no, is certain- that she'll be okay.

"Yeah." He pauses, taking this all in. "Reyna, somewhere out there, there's going to be a guy for you. And he's going to love you. Only you. No one else. He's going to treat you better than I ever have. You deserve someone who will be there in the morning. He's going to be there for you through thick and thin, and no matter what happens, he's going to love you. I never deserved you, Reyna. But someday, someone will. And when that moment happens, I'm going to be so happy for you. Because I'll always love you. Just not in the way that you want. If you ever need anything, Reyna I'll be there for you. Because you're one of my best friends, and nothing will ever change that. Nothing. You're a really special girl Reyna, and some guy is going to deserve you."

She frowns, her eyes softening. He thinks that maybe she'll forgive him. Then, her features are sharp again. "Good luck, Jason."

"What do you mean by that?"

She chuckles darkly. "You're in love with an anorexic girl. Any day now, she could just die. Do you know the heartbreak you're going to go through just to be with her? She could be dead by the end of the year, and I'm not saying this in a mean way. I'm giving you a dose of reality."

She gives him a lingering glance, watching his expression thoroughly. She's right, Jason thinks bitterly. Piper could die any day now, and all he could was stand by and watch.

"Goodbye, Jason Grace." Reyna places a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I hope Piper and you are happy together."

He could only stand there, dumbfounded, as his best friend and first love walks straight out of his life.

. . .

"So, how are you feeling?" Annabeth asks, there previous arguments obliviously long forgotten. She places a comforting hand on Piper's shoulder, smiling weakly. "We came as soon as we could- while Mr. Grace here," she sent Jason a smile. "Stayed here the entire time."

Thalia grins at him, and Jason can't help but grin back. "I see you two are finally, you know, going steady?" Thalia dodges the pillow that Piper throws at her, laughing.

"Jerk," Jason muttered, but over all he's elated. He has Piper now, and that's more than he ever could ask. But, the words that Reyna said keep floating back to him. If Piper ever died, a piece of him would die with her.

"It took you two long enough," Leo supplied in, with a wink. "I was wondering when you'd dump Reyna for beauty queen." He laced hands with his girlfriend Hazel, a teasing smile on his face, but pleased with the news.

"Speaking of Reyna, how is she holding up?"

Percy pats Frank on the shoulder, making a _whipping _ noise. "Oh, shut up, Seaweed Brain."

"_Hey- that's my nickname!"_ Annabeth tries to cut in, but Thalia clamps a hand over her mouth, making her words smothered.

"Baby face," Percy retorts.

"You promised you'd never speak of that!"

"Too late."

"Ew!" Thalia yells, wiping her hand on her black, ripped jeans. "Annabeth licked my hand!" There's a few odd looks sent Annabeth's way, Jason's included, but she shrugs it off.

"Would you two be quiet? But, I have to agree with my four out of ten boyfriend. Reyna and you would look good together." Frank blushes, while Percy splutters.

"Four out of ten?"

Hazel and Annabeth exchange a look, a private joke in the midst, smiling innocently at Percy. Jason laughs, but his hand never left Piper's. He eyes her, and she's laughing. Her giggles sounds like bells to his ears.

She's happy, for once in her life.

And if she's happy, he's happy.

_**~Come on skinny love what happened here?~**_

A day has passed. Doctor Fredrick and Sally Jason deiced to keep Piper under observation for one more night, much to Jason's relief. It's only a day, but it's better than her getting sent back to Camp Half Blood the moment she woke up.

"You're leaving today." He states bluntly, somewhat sadly.

She sighs, a hair escaping her pony tail and falling into her forever changing eyes. He brushes it back, and they both smile. "You can always visit me."

"But visitations are so monitored." She sent him a meaningful look, but a smile is permanently spread across her lips. "How am I supposed to kiss you with those nut jobs watching?"

"Some of those nut jobs happen to be my friends, Mr. Grace. You best watch what you say from now on."

He slides his hands around her waist, and on instinct her hands fly to his neck. "And why is that, Ms. Mclean?"

She plans a butterfly kiss on his earlobe, and he shudders. It's amazing the effect this anorexic girl can have on him. Piper then breathes, "I have ways of punishing you."

He doesn't doubt it for a second.

"Can I help you pack?"

By the seductive expression he gives her, he can tell that she got the silent message. They weren't going to do much packing.

He picks her up, and she squeals with surprise, then sets her on top of the suit case, which was resting on her bed/cot. Her legs wrap around his waist so she's straddling him and they're lips press together in a heated kiss.

It's a desperate one, because Jason knows that the next time he wakes up, he'll be at home.

While Piper's at a mental hospital.

"Ms. Mclean? Oh, I'm sorry." The unfamiliar nurse stammers with embarrassment. She's young, around twenty five, but Jason doesn't know her, and from the look on Piper's face she doesn't either. "I can come back another time."

Jason takes a few steps back, as Piper uncurls her legs from his waste. "We were just, uh, packing."

"Uh-huh." She's unconvinced. "Well, anyways you have one more visitor before you leave."

He can see the hopefulness on Piper's face and grins. Looks like Mr. Mclean did cancel his audition to come see Piper.

"My dad?" She questions eagerly, climbing off the suit case. "He's here?"

The nurse gives Piper a confused look. "Were you expecting you're father? Because the visitor I have here is a women."

"A women?"

"Yes. You're mother, Aphrodite."

_**~Come on skinny love what happened here?~**_

* * *

**A/N: You have no idea how much it killed me to write the Jeyna break up scene. I ship both Jasper and Jeyna. They're both so adorable! But, every time I ship Jasper I feel guilty. Because Reyna is like Jason's Annabeth. :( And then that makes me doubt Percabeth and no one can have that. Anyways, thank you guys so much! This was intended to be the last chapter, but I decided to split it up into two parts. So the next chapter will be the last chapter.**

_**More stories by me:**_

**Unfinished Stories- "Annabeth Chase didn't think she was crazy, but when it came to a certain green eyed boy... she thought she was going completely and utterly insane." A collection of unfinished one-shots or short stories I have yet to finish. Most are Percabeth, but some include other couples as well such as Jeyna/Jasper/Lazel etc. Vote on the unfinished stories that you think I should continue! Rated K-T because there's a lot of them. R&R!  
The Butterfly Effect- Love. Sorrow. Remorse. Lies. "She screams until she's blue in the face. She screams and screams and screams yes. But she knows it's too late. The war has began, and now there's no going back." Anger. Regret, but most importantly betrayal. Set in Mockingjay, with the biggest twist ever imaginable. Rated T/M. Peeta/Katniss, Gale/Madge.  
Guilt-"Because in the end Annabeth decided that it's the guilt that is the worst." The aftermath of Tarturas, Annabeth and Percy have to deal with the heavy guilt that easily overpasses the burden of the sky. Rated T for torture, suicide, angst. Percabeth.****  
****Let The Fear In-"The fear was real. And I knew I had to deal with it. So I just made a choice. I'd let the fear in, let it take over, let it do its thing, but only for five seconds, that's all I was going to give it. So I started to count: one, two, three, four, five. Then it was gone." The fear was controlling her, as the car sat underwater. Then she thought- Jason. She had to save him. Somehow.****  
****The Little Mockingjay-"On the last moment, I rub the pin back and forth in between my fingertips feeling the warmth from it. The warmth from the little Mockingjay." Prim's perspective during the reaping, with a kiss on the cheek, comfort, and her thoughts about the capitol and the little glass bowl full of slips, she despises. Rated T for Angst and depressing words.****  
****Love- "Do you love, Annabeth?" Tyson questioned, as I spit out my drink. "What?" Tyson asks Percy if he loves Annabeth, and other very personal questions about their relationships. Set in TBOL, One-shot.****  
****It Was Her-After Beckendorf's death, Percy and Annabeth have a meaningful talk about his death, the prophecy, the war and about a certain red-head. "It wasn't your fault." "I can't lose you." "You won't." "You don't have to be jealous of her." One shot.****  
****Eternal Flame Prologue: A one shot/prologue to the new Percy Jackson fanfic Eternal Flame. Review and let me know if I should continue this or change the prologue. R&R****  
****All's Fair in Love and War-"Wait," Rachel said backtracking. "Did you just call me a hooker?" Octavian looked confused as she leaned up against the statue of Jupiter and giggled." He hated her. He despised her. So why was he finding it so hard not to stare into those green eyes of hers? She hated him. She despised him. Yet for some reason, he amused her to no end****  
****Tears of Glass- "How would her gravestone get here? It was impossible, because her whole family was...dead. Yet here it stood in the middle of a graveyard." Katherine reflects on her past, and all her mistakes. She also remembers all the times that she, the Katherine Peirce, cried. "Because it hurt. And feeling the shards of glass escape from her eyes, somehow made it all better." Rated T.**


	7. Now Is The Start: Part Two

**_~Come on skinny love, just last the year.__  
__Poor a little salt we were never hear.__  
__My, my, my, my, my.__  
__Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer~_**

**PIPER:**

"Jason," she speaks the words slowly, barely audible, almost as if that would change the deadpanned facts. How did this happen? How did her sudden happiness and sweetness turn sour? For the first time in her life she was relatively elated. Happy. Now it was gone. Seemingly identical to wind whisking away anything in its path. And on it's path was her happiness.

How was her mother here? After all those years of neglectance, why did she even bother to show up now? "I think you should go."

A flicker of pain and hurt forms across his face, like she's rejecting him. But when he notices the meaningful look in Piper's Kaleidoscope eyes, his mouth snaps shut. She nods in encouragement as Jason walks out the door. He looks back one last time and she stares into his wise, blue eyes, one last time hoping that they would give her some form of confidence.

It doesn't.

"Would you like me to send your mother in now?" The nurse asks, completely oblivious to the situation. All this innocent nurse knows is that Piper's mother was here. She didn't know the rest of the story. If Aphrodite is anything like Piper Mclean vaguely remembers her, then she won't take 'no' for an answer. So she practically had no choice but to nod her head weakly, wondering if she was going to become a mute.

"I'll be right back," the nurse cheerfully says in a sing-song voice, exiting Piper's hospital room. She takes a seat, numbness passing over her like multiple waves crashing over a person at the beach. Every time Piper thinks that it might be over, something drastic and abrupt has to happen. Every single time the storm settles, another flash of lightning has to wiggle it's way in, proof of another problem. Another sad, heart wrenching experience. Piper swallows, feeling the urge to revolt all over the hospital room. But she's promised herself-made an oath- that she was never going to puke for her mother again. She's already too far along to give up now.

The door opens.

And standing in front of her is her glamorous, blonde mother- Aphrodite.

She looks exactly as she did ten years ago, minus the small wrinkles coated by makeup. Her blonde hair is still shiny, but a little bit shorter. And if Piper looks close enough she sees light streaks of grey, overlapped by highlights. The grey streaks of adulthood are vague, but certainly there. Her shiny, light blue eyes are swimming with pain and remorse, a feature on her mother that Piper is not yet familiar with. Her tan skin is still there, from her obvious layouts in the sun. Her hair is curled into perfect spirals, one that so perfectly represents Annabeth's. She's wearing a slim light-blue dress, with a black jacket and black high heels.

"M-m-mom?" Is all Piper can manage. She feels slightly envious and subconscious from her own mother.

There's a look of confusion in Aphrodite's eyes, but she nods curtly. Makeup is spread lightly across her face, and it's starting to see her bright red lipstick gone.

"Piper," Aphrodite breathed, like she was staring and gawking at a famous monument. She slowly walks in a circle around her. Piper hugs herself, wondering what her mother thinks of her. "My, you've grown. You're so beautiful."

It's one thing to recall your mother in memories, it's another thing to have her standing in front of you ten years later. Piper freezes, feeling small and shy compared to Aphrodite. Then she crosses her arms tightly across her chest, standing firm. She wasn't going to be her puppet- not anymore. She was Piper Mclean, Jason's girlfriend.

And After all this time Aphrodite thinks that she can simply drop in? No, Piper thinks in absolute certainty, this isn't happening. She hasn't forgotten what she's done.

Piper knew that she would never forget.

"Beautiful?" Piper asks, forgetting her manners altogether. "Or anorexic?"

There's a flash of pain amongst her mother's flawless face, but Piper can't find it in her heart to care. She remembered what she had done. Aphrodite, her own mother, had made her into...this. Some skinny, unconfident, vain, anorexic teenage girl.

Not anymore, though. Piper was going to change that, but her mother just dropping a bomb like this wasn't speeding up the process.

"I'm so sorry for that," she says somewhat ashamed. She reaches out her hand to perhaps comfort Piper, but then seemingly changes her mind from the look of pure astonishment on Piper's face, and lets it hang from her side. Piper watches her actions carefully wondering what she is going to do. "I was young, dear. Drunk with power and rich with money. All I wanted was a picture-perfect family. I neglected you. I know that's true. But I'm here to make amends."

"After all these years you've decided _now_ to bury the hatchet?" Piper snarls, glowering at her own mother. Her own flesh and blood. She's never felt so much rage, anger, and betrayal before so much in her life. Even when Jason had confessed to her father, it was nothing compared to the redness she was seeing now. "Why not ten years ago?"

Aphrodite flinches, like she's being slapped. "After your father divorced me, I ran. City after city, state after state. I was...hurt. I missed you so badly, but I couldn't come back. I couldn't face you. Couldn't face what I had done to you. Then, I saw you on the news. How you passed out in a mental hospital from your anorexia. That gave me the confidence to come here. But that's no excuse. I should've been there for you Piper. I shouldn't have done those horrible things to you."

Piper's permanent scowl is still there, but she feels her face soften at her mother.

Aphrodite really did regret what she had done, didn't she?

"Why are you here? For forgiveness? Because that will never, ever happen."

"I know," Aphrodite replies, her eyes filled with pain. "I'm not asking for your forgiveness. I'm here to make up for the past. I'm here to make up for the fifteen years I've hurt and forgotten you. With your permission, of course."

Piper ignores her previous comment and simply states, "dad told me that you were dead."

"Your father and I decided that it was best that you forgot the whole experience altogether. Eventually, you blacked it out. But you never truly forgot, did you?"

Piper stares down at her skinny body, her fists clenching securely at her sides. "No. I guess I didn't. But eventually I did. I remembered everything that you did to me. You made into this."

"I know."

"Is that all you have to say?" Piper asks, her face twisting outraged. Tears are spilling in Aphrodite's eyes, and Piper has to blink them back. No, she can't cry. Not in front of her. Aphrodite doesn't deserve her tears. "I made myself puke every morning. I heard voices inside of my head, monsters, telling me everything that was wrong about me. Every. Single. Flaw. But that's when I realized that those voices didn't come from me- they came from _you_. You ruined my life. You shattered it. You ran away like a coward, not even bothering to help me pick up the pieces!"

By the time she's done, she can't contain the tears that begin to slide down her cheeks in heavy pools. Aphrodite stifles a sob, and Piper just stares at her through blurred tears.

"When people asked me if I was okay, I would just say I was fine. Because it was too hard to explain how broken I was."

"Piper, I'm so sorry."

"No," she says squeezing her eyelids shut. "You're not." She turned away from her mother, staring out the window, letting the water just slowly cascade down her cheeks. "It's too late for me to give you another chance. I don't want you in my life anymore. I've moved on, and I think it's time that you do too."

When Piper turns around again, she's gone, and on her bed is a piece of paper with a phone number on it. And underneath the numbers is a sentence.

_In case you change your mind._

Piper sighs, wrapping her sweater tightly around her, like she can conceal herself from the outside world. She missed her mother far more than she let on, and now that she saw her again her craving for motherly love and nurturing only increased. Her father never remarried again, and she never had a female role model in her life. Her dad was loving and kind, but didn't really hug her or give her the kind of comfort that mothers did.

"Piper?" There was a knock at the door. Jason stood there and she bolted into his arms, not crying, but just being held. "What happened? I thought your mother was dead."

She pressed tighter into his arms, almost like she's trying to blend into him.

In a hoarse, raspy voice she whispers, "she is."

**_~Tell my love to wreck it all, cut out all the ropes and let me fall. "__  
__My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my...__  
__right in the moment this orders tall~_**

Piper hugs Annabeth tightly, then Leo, and so on. "You promise to visit me, right?"

"Of course, Pipes," Leo tugs on her braid from the side of her. "I've always wanted to be inside a mental hospital."

Laughter. "Oh, Leo...you'll fit right in."

Percy chuckles, wrapping an arm around Annabeth. "You'll do fine, Piper. In fact, you _almost_ look normal."

Piper rolled her eyes, but an amused smile played at her lips. "Gee, thanks, Percy."

He salutes her, and Annabeth elbows him the ribs, sending him a death glare that he cringes under. "I mean, you look spectacular! You're practically glowing."

After all goodbyes are said, Piper feels...fulfilled. And sad, too. She wishes desperately that she could spend her summer with them, but they would never enjoy her accompany. Not until she was fixed. And she was going to get fixed, no matter what the cost.

Jason stays last, practically forcing her to let him accompany her to the bus station. Her dad had called and offered a limousine, but she had declined politely. She wanted to do this her way. It was time for her dad to let go of the girl that he once thought he know, and embrace the new one. The better one. The girl who doesn't spend her time alone anymore. The girl who's done being insecure.

He presses his lips against hers, it's a quick peck, but it still makes Piper's heart race with anticipation. "I could never get tired of kissing you."

"Me too," she leans against his broad frame, snuggling deeper into his chest breathing in that Jason smell of licorice and cologne. "I'm going to miss you." She felt him stiffen and he wrapped his arms around her tighter, kissing her forehead before placing his chin on top of her head.

They just stood there for hours. Decades maybe. Never growing annoyed with another ones company.

This, Piper thinks, is how it should be.

This is the start of something new. Something good. And Piper doesn't want to waste another second of it.

"Piper?" Mrs. Jackson's head pops through the doorway, and smiles at the two of them embracing. "Your father's on the phone."

She nodded, but felt a pang of remorse at the mention of her dad, which reminded her of Aphrodite.

Should she have forgiven her?

If there's one thing that Piper learned through all this jumbled mess- it's to forgive. Because that's the only way out.

If you can't forgive, you can't move on.

"Piper?" Sally repeats, and Jason nudges her shoulder. They both looked concerned, like she's going to pass out again. Piper shoves the thoughts about Aphrodite away, but the piece of paper with her phone number still feels heavy in her pocket.

Piper shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm fine. My minds just somewhere else."

Sally nods in understanding, but Jason looks unconvinced. His eyes read; we'll talk later. Mrs. Jackson, Sally, leads her out the door and to the hospital's phone. She presses it against her phone, trying to keep her hand from trembling again.

"Hello?" Her voice is shaky.

"Piper!" Her dad's familiar voice nearly yells with relief. "Iamsosorry I couldn't be there-"

She decides to cut right to the chase, guilt and anger laced into her voice as she selected her words carefully. If she didn't act now, she would cower out of it. "Why did you lie to me?"

There's a pause, a pregnant one. "What do you mean, Pipes?" His voice is troubled, and Piper knows that she's struck some form of nerve.

Piper scoffs, her eyes narrowing. "I think you _know,_ dad."

"I really don't, Piper. I'm sorry if you misinterpreted something."

Piper curls the phone line around her slim finger, wanting so bad for this meeting to be face to face. But she knew that she had to dealt with this problem here, because otherwise she would have to wait a week. "Hard to misinterpret something with your mother standing right in front of you."

Piper hears him distinctively mutter something underneath his breath in rage, but she can't quite catch the words.

"What do you mean? Your mother is there? Right now?" Piper flinches from his irate tone. Truth is, she's never seen or heard her father so angry. No wonder they got divorced. "That wasn't part of the agreement!" He seems to forget about his daughter, which is what he always does. He's caring and takes care of all Piper's needs, but he isn't really there. It's like she's a barbie doll, the owner buys her dresses and gives her a dream house, but never truly treats the doll like an equal.

"Listen to me, dad!"

He stops his angry rant, and averts his rage on her. "You will not talk to me like that young lady. And you will not talk to your mother either!"

"For once in your life LISTEN TO ME!" She earns peculiar, irritated looks from innocent pass buyers, but she can't find the patience to add them into this scenario.

Her father, Tristan is silent, obliging to her screams. He must think that Piper Elizabeth Mclean is off her rocker at the moment, and doesn't want to push her to the edge. This only frustrates Piper more.

"Mom or Aphrodite stopped by because she saw me in the news. And I'm glad that she did-"

"How can you be _glad_?" He spits the words out icily. "Do you even know what she did to you?"

"Yes, I actually do. She made me throw up, neglected me, left me home alone all day so she could go shopping. Surprised dad? I learned a lot at Sunshine or its previous name Camp Half Blood. And let's not take the fact out that you were being dishonest with me- for fifteen years. You purposely told me that my mother died from cancer, while she was alive this entire time. I could've gone out and found her-"

"Well, Aphrodite didn't want to be found." Tristan counters, and Piper can hear the impatience in his voice.

Piper shrugs. "Maybe not. But that's beside the point. Do you realize that if you had told me what she did to me that I wouldn't be anorexic? I wouldn't blame myself for everything?"

There's a silence, and all Piper can hear is the sound of her voice breathing heavily.

His voice cracks. "I'm so sorry."

"I don't blame you, dad. You have nothing to be sorry for. What's done is done. I just wanted to let you know how I felt. This is the real me, and it's about time that you started accepting it."

"Bye dad, I'll see you next week during visiting hours."

When he finally manages to compose himself he says, "I have to do something for work, Pipes. You know that."

"Then I guess you're going to have to figure something out, because I won't take no for answer. Bye, daddy. I love you."

His voice sounds confused. "I love you, too...?"

She hangs up the phone, then turns to the assistant nurse. "May I take another call?"

"Sure."

Piper Elizabeth Mclean would never forget-

-but she would forgive.

It goes to voicemail."Hello, mom? It's Piper. I just wanted to let you that mistakes are always forgivable, if someone has the courage to admit them. The visiting hours at Sunshine Mental hospital are..."

**_~And I told you to be patient, I told you to be kind.__  
__In the morning I'll be with you... but if will be a different kind.__  
__'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets and you'll be owning the fines~_**

**Jason:**

"And I want to take dance lessons after this is all over. Maybe singing, too. But mostly acting, I really,_ really_ want to act. I think I'd be good at it. After all, it runs in the family. And then I want to go to the fair, and learn how to do opera just like Aphrodite." Jason smiles at her, their hands tightly clasped together. He was glad that her mother turned out to be alive. Not really so glad when Piper had told him what she had done to her, but he was willing to move on if she was. "And then I want to..."

He could listen to her ramble meaninglessly forever...

"Jason!" She smacks his shoulder lightly with her free hand. "Were you even listening to me?"

He laughs, bending in to kiss her cheek. When he pulls away, her cheeks are flushed. He loved the reaction he could have on the daughter of Tristan. "I was too busy gawking at your beauty."  
She laughs, "good save." But there happiness is short lived when the red sign of the bus stop is in their view. Jason frowns. What if she found someone who was better than him in Camp Half Blood? He didn't nearly deserve Piper, and he wasn't sure if he ever would. She was so amazing, full of life, and confident. Even though she didn't used to be, he still loved her.

She puts a delicate hand to his cheek, and he instantly notices her questioning expression. "I've never seen you make that face before...Jason, are you jealous?"

He takes her hand in his, kissing her nose. "Only jealous that you'll find someone that deserves you in CHB."

A look of utter incredulous forms across her face. "You think you don't deserve me? I don't deserve you..."

He kisses her longingly, and when they break he whispers, "you deserve me."

"We deserve each other. And trust me Jason, no guy could compete with you."

"Good." He states, tugging gently on her braid. "Because if any guy even gets close to you, I will kill them."

Piper rolls her eyes, but Jason can see the pleased smile on her face.

They get closer to the sign, just as the bus stop pulls in.

Both their smiles instantly fade in unison.

"So this is it," Piper says bitterly. "The goodbye scene."

Something tugs in Jason's gut, but he manages to stay happy for her sake. "It's only goodbye for a week."

She throws herself into his arms. It's a habit that she does when she's afraid or nervous, and Jason loves it. He wraps his arms around her tightly, repeating the same thing that he did just hours before. "I don't ever want to say goodbye to you."

"I know," Jason confesses. "But this is for a good cause."

She snorts, "you make it sound like you're doing charity."

"You, Piper Elizabeth Mclean, are anything other than charity." Before she could even say anything else, Jason's strong arms were around her, holding her as close as possible while he bent down and kissed Piper gently. The soft gentle kiss gradually escalated into a deep passionate kiss. They were both lost in each other's arms, like a maze, eyes tightly closed, lips locked together in unison. They seemingly melted into one another, never letting go.

"I love you, Jason." She says breathlessly as soon as they break apart. Jason smiles, knowing that he feels the exact same way.

"I love you, too." She pulls away from his arms slowly, and Jason already misses her warmth. Jason hands her the small suitcase and she gives him a hesitant smile, staring awkwardly at the bus.

"Bye, Jason. Love you!"

"Bye, Piper Love you, too!"

She walks onto the bus, and Jason already feels longing for her arms, for her lips, to run his hands through her brunette hair, and there long talks. If he couldn't survive a second, how was he going to survive a week? He has to ball his fists together to keep from running on the bus after her. She disappears from his view, but then appears at the closest window to him. Her head sticks out half way and she's waving at him, blowing kisses as the bus slowly pulls away.

_"You're in love with an anorexic girl. Any day now, she could just die. Do you know the heartbreak you're going to go through just to be with her? She could be dead by the end of the year, and I'm not saying this in a mean way. I'm giving you a dose of reality."_

Reyna's words are ringing through his eyes as Piper smiles at him, the wind blowing through her braid, messing it.

Forget Reyna.

Forget the rest of the world.

She wasn't just anybody. She was Piper Mclean. She could survive anything.

And she could last the year.

**_~Come on skinny love, just last the year.~_**

**A/N: Oh my god. It's actually done. And I actually loved how this turned out! I hope the rest of you do, too. There will be an epilogue, so stay tuned. Also, thanks for reviewing, following and favoriting. It meant a bunch!  
**


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue:**

_**"Distance between two hearts is not an obstacle; rather a beautiful reminder of how strong true love can be." -Unknown. **_

**THREE MONTHS LATER:**

Ashley Bullock does _not_ believe in love.

She doesn't believe in the classic, famous tale "Romeo and Juliet." She does not believe that some vampire that glitters in the sunlight is going to whisk her away from her pitiful life, and spend eternity with her. Ashley even scoffs at "The Notebook," claiming that they would never actually be able to find each other in reality.

To Ashley love is illogical and pointless. Love is just another impossible, unattainable thing in her pathetic life. She used to be such a hopeless romantic, obsessing over the term 'soul mate.' Even her favorite holiday was Valentine's Day, the official day for love. But no, she doesn't believe in love. At least, not anymore. Not after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her with some girl who doesn't have the common decency to wear a shirt. Or pants.

She scoffs angrily, sipping her coffee, which was still piping hot.

She was intimidating and tough, and not to mention a rather striking women as well. The kind of girl that drew attention from just walking down the street. She was lean, short, but tall enough to pass for average. She had some visible muscle, which she was very proud of. Ashley admired the whole tough girl image ever since she had seen a blue eyed girl with spiky black hair, and a leather jacket. Since then, she was trying to corporate the teenage girl's idea into her own outfit, but still trying to keep it casual. She had her dirty blonde hair cut to level with her chin, and her pale emerald eyes seemed to edge people on, daring them to try and challenge her. She was wearing a leather vest, a white t-shirt, skinny jeans and black boots. Her hair was down and straightened, but it was becoming messy from the wind. Her clothes hugged her body tightly, showing off her curves, making her the talk of her High School. Of course, guys never commented on her figure. That is unless they wanted to have a broken arm.

She tried to take another sip of her coffee, hesitantly.

Bad idea.

The liquid burned her tongue, resulting in her spitting it out onto the busy streets. She earns a few odd looks, but she doesn't care and keeps walking to the nearest bus station. She's not in the mood to have patience with pedestrians. She just wants to be as far away from her cheating boyfriend and his idiotic...women, who can't be bothered to wear any clothes. Just the thought of that artificial brunette sent trembles of rage through her. Her hand trembles, nearly spilling her mocha. She brushes her dirty blonde hair to the side storming past the people of New York City.

Then she spots the familiar red sign and practically sighs with relief. Finally.

After waiting ten minutes for the bus, she decides that the world hates her.

Huffing irritably, she crosses her arms tightly across her chest, her coffee already drunken and thrown away.

"Thank god!" She exclaims as she sees the bus come into view.

"You been waiting a long time?" A blonde boy around her age asks her, his blue eyes seemed to blaze. He was sitting on the same bench as her, but she hadn't really noticed him until now. Her mind was thinking about other things, preferably about how her life completely sucked right now.

"You have no idea," Ashley grumbles, crisscrossing her slender legs. Then her eyes widen when she sees his features...he's actually kind of cute...

You have got to be kidding me, Ashley thinks to herself. You found your boyfriend, what? Ten minutes ago? Cheating on you and already you're thinking about guys. Her pale green eyes narrow in on the daisies on his hand, and her heart falls a little. He must have a girlfriend. Oh well. Win some lose some. He could be a good friend, though. Someone to rant to about David.

Blondie laughs. "Try me."

Ashley blows a piece of blonde hair away from her face. "I just discovered my boyfriend cheating on me. He was supposed to be my ride home, so here I am."

The blonde's face expression darkens, eyes narrowing in disgust and utter distaste for David's actions. "What a douche."

Yes! She chants in her mind. Someone finally actually agrees with her. Ashley came from a proper family, the kind of family that approved of people like David. The kind of family who just assumed that it was her fault if David cheated on her, as if she hadn't fulfilled his needs. But what about her needs? Didn't that count for something?

"Tell me about it. So, what are you doing here? Going somewhere?"

"Nah, just waiting for my girlfriend. She just got released from a mental hospital today."

She giggles airily at his strange joke, but ceases when she notices his straight, serious face. Her green eyes widen in shock and obliviousness. "Are you joking?"

"Nope," he replies popping the 'p,' like this was just a casual conversation that you have with any stranger. "Her names Piper Mclean. I've been waiting here all morning."

The last name sends some familiarity through her, but she brushes the déjà vu feeling off. Her eyebrows raise, arching foreword in a questioning type of look. "No kidding. You two must really love each other to be willing to stay together."

He nods in confirmation. And Ashley thinks that she needed to hear him say it. She needed to hear him state that not all relationships were doomed to end.

Blondie changes the subject. "So...what's your name?"

"Ashley." She responds instantly.

"Pretty name," he says kindly, not at all in a flirting manner. "I'm Jason."

The duo shakes hands in a friendly way. "So, Jason...can I ask you a personal question?"

He shrugs aimlessly, eyeing the blonde girl carefully. "Depends on what it is."

"Do you believe in love?"

He's obviously taken from surprise, his expression completely obviously started. She cringes, wondering if she was being too foreword to the teenage boy she had just met just minutes ago. She shrugs it off, though. She is Ashley Bullock, the loud, obnoxious, easy going person that doesn't care for other people's opinions except her own.

"Well, uh, I guess so. I'm supposed to, anyway. If not, my girlfriend would kill me."

"Do you love your girlfriend? Piper?"

"Yes."

Ashley bites her lip, her eyes darkening with remorse at her idiotic actions previously. "But how do you know that she isn't just going to walk away some day?" She's referring to David, and honestly wants to know this strangers imput.

A flicker of hurt glisten's in Jason's eyes, and Ashley immediately regrets her decision to ask him anything. She must've struck some form of nerve.

"I don't," he says eventually, after the pregnant pause breaks. "Love is a leap of faith. You can never love someone, and stay safe in your warm little shell, never getting hurt or rejected. Or you can jump, and just hope that someone catches you. Everyone says that love hurts, but that's really not true. Rejection is the thing that hurts. Betrayal is the thing that hurts. Not love. But people always assume that love is mixed into those bitter feelings. In reality, love is the thing that heals those negative emotions."

"I don't believe in love," she says bluntly out of the blue, crossing her arms stubbornly. "I used to, but not anymore."

Jason nods his head, silently agreeing with her. "I didn't either. But that's just because I hadn't found the right person yet. Once you find that special person, you'll know that love is real."

Ashley nods, taking it all in.

A bus rolls in and Jason is instantly on his feet, sprinting towards it as the bus doors roll open. A brunette climbs out- she's practically glowing. She's thin, but has meat on her bones. She's healthy. Her hair is long and two messy braids are resting on her shoulder's. She has turquoise eyes with streaks of violet, that are seemingly glittering from the sunlight. She's pretty- no, she's gorgeous. Ashley can only watch dumbfounded as they run towards each other calling out one another's name in desperation and longing. Jason's eyes are filled with lust and love, and Piper's with radiant beauty and admiration. The couple crashes into each other's arms, completely oblivious to the busy, bustling world around them. It's then that Ashley realizes that the girl is Piper, Jason's girlfriend from the mental institution. Huh. She didn't look _crazy_.

Ashley frowns puzzled at the heartwarming scene, as Jason and Piper's lips crash together. In an instant, a snap, she knows that the two are in love with each other just from their interactions.

Ashley Bullock does _not _believe in love.

But then again, maybe she _did_.

. . .

**A/N: Yay it's finished! Whooo! The epilogue did not go how I planned it at all. I really enjoyed writing this story for you guys, and I hoped you enjoy reading it. Oh, shoot. It's eleven and my first day of school starts tomorrow...yipee. Also, do you guys think that we could get up to triple digits? We are so close!**

**Thank you guys so much for reviewing, following, favoriting or even just reading! Everything means so much to me! I really hoped you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing.**

**-Jaimee**


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